Beware the Frozen Heart
by M. Michelon
Summary: The actions that his brother took in Arendelle have strained any relationship between the kingdom and the Southern Isles. If his kingdom is to survive, Alexander needs to make his apologies to the woman that his brother wronged: Queen Elsa. The woman has smiles for her sister and her kingdom, but it's clear that she should wear a warning when around him: Beware her frozen heart.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: Okay... we're just going to give this a shot. If I don't have people who are interested in the next few days, I'll probably just take it down and we can pretend like it never happened. Anyways, the story has been stuck in my head since I watched the movie with my nephews a few days ago. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Prologue**

"You did what?" Alexander shouted, looking at his youngest brother. The boy hung his auburn head and looked contrite, but it wasn't real. "Arendelle was the one of our prospective trading partners. Do you have any idea what you've done?" None of the other boys had been this difficult to deal with. "What is wrong with you? Did you honesty think that you could fool that girl into falling in love with you? We sent you to Arendelle to represent the Southern Isles and you attempted to assassinate the queen _and_ the princess. What were you hoping to gain from this?"

"A kingdom," Hans retorted.

"And you thought to secure yourself a kingdom through murder and deception? How could the people ever respect a leader who had killed their queen?" The stupidity of a young man. Alexander sighed and looked down the table at his brothers. "What did you think was going to happen?"

"She was a sorceress. The people were happy when she left them to their peace," Hans retorted. He jerked a little, trying to find a more comfortable position. There really wasn't anything comfortable about being on your knees in front of the War Table with hands cuffed behind your back.

"Yeah, when their land was frozen over by an eternal winter. They were real happy," one of the other boys said. The brothers had convened in the war room. There were six seats on either side of the rectangular table and one on either end. Well, in this case, there was only one end. Hans sat on his knees on the other side. "I'm sure that Princess Anna was happier when you were using her for a marriage and planning to overthrow her sister."

"Enough, Klaus." The boy fell silent immediately. "Lucas, take Hans down to the dungeon until we can figure out what to do with him."

"Aye, Alexander," Lucas said, pushing himself out of his chair and going to his baby brother. Lucas grabbed Hans by the cuffs that linked his hands together, placed a steadying hand on his shoulder and jerked him upright. Alexander gave his brother a nod and watched him drag the boy towards the doors.

"You can't do this to me. You can't!" Hans started shouting struggling against the bonds. "I am a prince of the Southern Isles. You can't throw me into the dungeon like a common criminal. I am a prince!"

Alexander pushed himself out of his chair and rose to his full height, towering over his seated brothers. "Aye, you are a prince of the Southern Isles and I am the king. You acted disgracefully. Your foolish actions have endangered our relationship with a great kingdom. Your greed and ego have earned you nothing but heartache, Hans. You are hereby stripped of your title. Bring him to the dungeon until we decide what his punishment shall be."

Since his twentieth year, Alexander had tried his best to raise his brothers. He'd hired the best nursemaids and nannies to watch over them. There had been tutors to instruct them in their studies, to ensure that they knew all that they needed to. He had trained them for war himself, to make sure that they could defend themselves and their land. After all, the kingdom of the Southern Isles stretched far in the ocean and was constantly open to attack. It was important this brothers knew how to protect themselves and their people. He had always felt pride for the men that his brothers had become.

Immediately following him in age were the twins, Liam and Lucas, Klaus, another set of twins Nicholas and Noah, Sebastian, the final set of twins, Tobias and Elias, Christian, and finally the triplets, Oliver, Jonas, and Hans. Alexander had watched each boy become a man, had tried to fill in the hole that had been left by their parents death. In truth, he thought that they had all faired rather well. After all, they'd had no father to guide them. None of his brothers had even reached twenty when they had been struck with the tragedy. Yet, they had al fought on. The kingdom was vast, but each brother had successfully seen himself asserted as a part of the picture.

At least, until Hans.

The last thing that Alexander had wanted to do was see his youngest brother thrown in a dungeon and locked away for the rest of his life. But he didn't have much of a choice. Hans had always been a moody child, something that Alexander had chalked up to the boy's young age. He hadn't even had ten years under his belt when their parents had been so cruelly taken from them. He'd discussed it with the older women in the castle, asked for them to take his brother under their wing and provide him with some nurturing. The boy needed it, most definitely.

But the woman, and Alexander, had only been met with disdain and hatred. He knew that Hans wasn't especially found of his position in the family, of being the youngest. There had been whole years where the younger man had ignored them all and carried about his life as if they hadn't existed. But the last thing that Alexander had expected was to find out that his brother, barely even a man, had attempted to gain power in another kingdom through the death of the queen and her sister. "What are to do?" Tobias asked, thinking his brother was deep in thought about Hans punishment.

"I don't know," Alexander admitted. "I thought that he was smarter than to attempt something like this. Jonas, did he make any comments to you about his discontentment?" Jonas was the closest to the youngest brother, but even that relationship was little more than amicable.

"I've told you, Alexander, he was his regular safe. In fact, he seemed glad when you announced that you were sending him to Arendelle as the ambassador. I thought that he was happy that you had given him such a job," Jonas admitted.

"He seemed content when he left," Oliver agreed.

"He was probably making his plans," Klaus grumbled. "I've told you, Alexander, you weren't nearly hard enough on that boy."

"Enough," he declared, lifting a hand to silence his bother before the argument began again. "Hans will need to be punished. That much is clear. But what is also clear is that reparations need to be made between ourselves and Arendelle." The eleven men at the table nodded their heads in agreement. "Prepare my ship, Liam. I'm going to Arendelle to give our apologies to Queen Elsa."


	2. Chapter I

**Author's Note: My goodness! Honestly, I was expecting maybe two or three reviews, not _fourteen_. I'm glad that you guys are all excited to see this story. In truth, I'm excited to write it. It's one of those that has been plaguing my brain. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter I**

"My Queen?" a guard intoned from the door. Elsa spun around, her ice-blonde hair swinging over her shoulder. It had been several weeks since Arendelle had been frozen over, turned to solid ice. It had been several weeks since she had frozen her sister. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. Though she had promised Anna that the gates would remain open, she was still adjusting to the number of people that were constantly surrounding her. She had gone from being isolated, alone in her room, concealing who she truly was, to being surrounded by people at every turn. She was truly _never _alone.

"Yes?" she said, trying to give a smile to the guard that was looking at her so hesitantly. The people of Arendelle were mostly kind, if not a little guarded. In her rare strolls from the confines of the castle, she had decided curious stares, friendly smiles, and questioning eyes. However kind they were, though, they were still hesitant around her. The servants and guards tried to keep their tones light and happy. They avoided angering her, for fear that she would lash out as she had done at the coronation ball.

"A ship from the Southern Isles has arrived at the port," the man told her. "They are running white flags, but the guards are detaining the ship." He was standing with his back as straight as a rod, but he still looked hesitant. "What would you like us to do, my Queen?" It was strange to be asked about things, to constantly need to make decisions. For the last twenty-one years of her life, the only decision that she'd made was to conceal herself from her sister and keep her safe.

"Find out _who_ has arrived from the Southern Isles and report back to me, if you would," she replied. The castle steward had informed her that she was not required to _ask_ the servants and guards to obey her commands. She was the Queen, now. She had the right to demand things of them without being considered rude. There was just something about doing so that seemed wrong. Her parents had been respected and liked, but she couldn't recall one moment in their lives that they had been rude or overly demanding of their staff and had been fine rules because of it.

"As you wish, my Queen," the guard said.

"Thank you," she added respectfully, turning away from him to return to the desk. If she was to be the new queen, she needed to be aware of what was going on with her kingdom. She wanted to know who they were trading with, what money they owed to other nations, what goods they had that they were trading, what profits they were making. Thankfully, in her parents absence, the steward had kept good records and she was able to study them and make sure that she understood all of what was going on.

"Elsa!" She jumped involuntarily, the shout startling her. She just didn't know how to ask people to speak softer, to quietly announce themselves before the seemed out her attention. She had been alone for so long, she was still…adjusting. She folded her gloved hands in her lap to hide their trembling and looked up to the ice blue eyes of her sister. "One of the guards just said that someone from the Southern Isles is here. Who is he? Is it Hans? Did he really think that he could come back?"

"Anna," Elsa said, a bemused smile on her face. Anna took a deep breath and looked up at her sister with pleading eyes. "I don't know who it is. I sent the guard to find out exactly who it is and we'll proceed from there. I highly doubt that it is Hans. As you said, he has twelve older brothers. From what I've heard from people, King Alexander is a fair man. I'm not sure that Hans being his brother would effect his ruling on the things that happened here." She stood up and crossed the room to her sister. She reached out and rubbed the girl's arm in comfort.

Anna's gaze dropped to the gloves concealing her sister's hands. "You don't have to wear those, you know," Anna said. "You seemed much happier in your other dress."

"A dress that was hardly befitting a queen," Elsa replied. "We both remember the things that Mom used to wear and they looked nothing like the dress that I made." She smiled to ease the blow of speaking of their parents. It was a subject that they didn't often speak of, and one she knew hurt her sister. "I'm the queen; I have to look the part."

"And the gloves? You've learned how to control it, Elsa. There's no reason for you to keep your hands trapped within those gloves." Elsa gave her sister a sad smile. She knew better than to tell her sister just how frightened she was of losing control again. She wasn't afraid of the powers that she possessed, but she was afraid of what could happen if she didn't learn to fully control them. "You don't have to be afraid any more, Elsa. Remember what I told you on the North Mountain? I'll always be right here."

Elsa opened her mouth to tell her sister that she was wearing the gloves as a comfort when the guard returned. "Queen Elsa, the boat is carry King Alexander of the Southern Isles. He would like the chance to discuss his brother's reprehensible behavior and apologize," the guard informed her.

"Well, you can tell him—"

"Anna," Elsa warned, looking at her sister softly. "Bring the King to the Great Hall, please," she told the guard. "Anna, go find Kristoff. The two of you come to the Great Hall to meet the King of the Southern Isles."

"But—"

"Guard, if you could escort the King to the Great Hall and remain for our protection, that would be greatly appreciated," she said, ignoring her sister.

"Of course, your highness," he said, turning around to go and find the King as he was instructed. He couldn't help but think that the new queen was afraid of herself. He'd been in the guard since her father's reign. He'd watched the little girl grow up. Now, as the captain of the guard, he knew that she was afraid. She was quiet and reserved, but most importantly, she lacked the confidence to give commands. It was one thing for her to be polite to her staff, it was something completely different for her to be _asking_ instead of _telling_. Her statements always felt more like questions. It should be expected for her to be protected. She shouldn't feel like she had to request it from her guards.

He was still stuck on thoughts of the queen when King Alexander stepped onto the dock. The man was tall, at least six-foot-two. His shoulders were broad and well muscled. Though he was wearing the garb expected of a king, he looked better suited to chain mail and armor. "Your Highness," the guard said, stooping low and bowing for the man. "The Queen has requested your presence in the Great Hall. She would like for you to join her there, if you would."

"Of course," the man replied easily. He stepped forward, immediately followed by two of his own guards.

"I beg your pardon, your Highness, but I am going to have to ask you to come alone. You'll understand that we are most concerned about the protection of our queen after the actions of the last few weeks," the guard said. The least he could do to honor the deceased King and Queen would be to protect their daughter.

"While I understand what you ask," Alexander said formally, "the men are two of my brothers. I would request their presence as well. We're more than willing to relinquish any weapons." He would do anything and everything to get to speak to the woman. He needed to apologize to her for his brother's behavior. The Southern Isles couldn't afford to lose ties with Arendelle.

The captain finally gave in and led the King and his brothers into the queen's castle. Alexander looked ahead, impressed with the loyalty the captain showed the Queen after the fear that he knew the people must have felt. After all, the queen had frozen the entire nation. The guard pushed the doors aside and motioned for Alexander to enter with Liam and Lucas at his side. He scanned the room, looked over the rows of tables where the warriors and soldiers probably sat and ate.

His gaze fell upon the three people, sitting alone at the high table. More specifically, upon the woman that was at the center. Her hair was white as snow with eyes that were blue as the sky after a snow storm. Everything about her emulated the snow. It was no wonder she was the snow queen. Knowing that he would shock his brothers, he sank down to his knees in a display of honor and looked down at the ground. She was beautiful, far more than he had bee expecting. He did not excuse his brother's actions, but after looking at the queen's obvious beauty, he could understand the attraction.

Lucas and Liam sank down at his flanks, though he was sure they would question his actions later. "Your Highness," he said in greeting. Finally, he glanced up at her, attempting a half smile to charm her. Instead, he was met with the hard gaze of a woman who clearly felt nothing for the man who was sitting on the ground before her. Her eyes were cold… Frozen.


	3. Chapter II

**Author's Note: I try to get more than one chapter up a day when I'm starting new stories. Just because I feel like it. Thanks so much for all your guys' support. Happy reading!**

* * *

**Chapter II**

Kristoff leaned back, wishing that the setting wasn't so professional. _"Why am I here?"_ he asked Anna behind her sister's back. Anna shrugged, not quite sure why her sister had ordered Kristoff to show up for a meeting with the King of the Southern Isles. "Who knew Arendelle's Ice Master and Deliver got to sit at the high table," he muttered. Anna glared at him to tell him to shut up. "Sorry; not used to the role of _important person_," he added. Elsa turned her head and smiled at him, waiting for the king to be brought to her.

She kept her hands demurely wrapped in her lap, making sure that her shaking didn't show. She hadn't been in front of any royalty since her coronation ball and had no desire to do so again. The royalty of the other nations knew her parents, one what her parents had closed to gates because of her, and knew that she had enough power to set off an eternal winter. They made her nervous, the way that they sized her up and judged her. _Conceal. Don't feel. Don't let it show,_ she whispered to herself.

The doors of the Great Hall flew open, her captain of the guard standing to the side to allow the three men to stride into the hall. Her heart thumped wildly as the men walked forward. They were tall, much taller than Hans had been. Elsa had only met him a handful of times, one of which being when her sister punched the man. The three came in as a triangle. The King, she assumed, stood in the front. He surprised her, _shocked_ her by dropping to a kneel in front of her table, resting one of his forearms on his knee.

She quickly schooled her features into the mask that she had long since perfected. Conceal, don't feel. Don't let it show. The words had become about more than just her "abilities." They had become about more than attempting to control her emotions to control her power. If she didn't let others know about her fears, her anger, her powerlessness, no one knew that she was weak. Even though she had learned that fear only intensified the danger of her powers, she still felt the need to conceal her emotions for her own protection. "Your Highness," a deep voice rumbled from before her.

She kept her chin raised in the ladylike aloofness she remembered her mother having in front of visiting royalty all those years ago. Elsa was prepared to feel inadequate before the man who was known by many as a "great, powerful, and fair man." What she wasn't prepared for was the spark of attraction that ran through her when she saw him sitting before her. His eyes were the color of the jade relic her father had once brought her. His hair was brown with red pulled through it. His shoulders were as wide and monstrous as she remembered her father's being. Much like Arendelle's king, the king standing before her seemed invincible.

"You'll have to excuse my bluntness, Your Highness, but what are you doing in Arendelle?" Elsa demanded. Alexander rose from the ground, glad to see that the queen had a spark in her. Her face remained cool, though, belaying the slight waver he heard in her voice. "Your brother attempted to kill me and allowed my sister to go through a slow and painful death. Would it not make sense to you if I decided to sever my ties with the Southern Isles?" she asked.

"It would, Your Highness," Alexander said. "Permit me." He bowed at the waist and gave the flourish that his father had taught him back when he was young. "I am King Alexander Dummond of the Southern Isles, Your Highness. I am here on behalf of my country and my brothers. We offer you our sincerest apologies for the behavior of our youngest brother," he explained, hoping to impress the queen with formality. He looked up and saw that the queen was still staring at him with a discerning eye, a glimmer of life in the eyes that had previously been dead.

"Perhaps we should speak plainly, King Alexander," Elsa decided. "Alone." She practically heard Anna's head whip around to stare at her. She quickly unclenched her hands and patted her sister's knee in comfort. "The captain, I am sure, is willing to see that we have some guard. My sister, Princess Anna, can see to your company's comfort and hospitality while we are away."

"That is most understanding of you, Queen Elsa," he replied. The captain of the guard nodded as he stepped away from the door to call for a guard to join the queen.

Elsa rose and turned, placing a hand on Kristoff's shoulder. "This is why you are here," she whispered to him. "I trust that you won't let my sister come to harm. I needed you here in case things went wrong." He gave her a stiff nod and held out a hand to help her down from the high table. She attempted to give herself an air of confidence as she descended the stair and strode to the king. He practically dwarfed her as she came to stand beside him. "Would you be against taking a brief tour of our keep, King Alexander?"

"Please, Alexander. My title was only given to me because of my father," he said, holding out an arm to her. She smiled at him, but didn't take his arm. She wrapped her hands together. He didn't say anything more, but she caught the imperceptible narrow of his eyes. "A tour of your castle's keep would be delightful, Queen Elsa."

"If you're insistent that I call you Alexander, you must call me Elsa," she replied. She gave a questioning look to the captain of the guard, who returned her look with a fatherly nod. She proceeded the visiting king towards the exit of the castle and listened for him to come behind her. More footsteps came shortly after as the five troops followed her. She looked over her shoulder, surprised to find them a hundred feet back. They gave her enough privacy that she could speak openly with the king and still be protected. "I will be honest, Alexander, I didn't expect for you to come here. Or to consent to my captain's request for you keep your weapons out of the hall," she said when they were walking by the castle's byre and buttery. The king strode easily at her side, everything about his screaming contrition.

"My brother acted reprehensibly, Elsa. I don't know how to properly to apologize, but I am here to ensure that there is no strain between our kingdoms," he promised. "I can honestly say that this is the cleanest byre that I have ever seen. It is well constructed and your animals certainly seem happy."

"Thank you," Elsa replied. "What is it that you are hoping, Alexander? I don't see how the damage that your brother did can be undone. Hans was prepared to let my sister die a slow and painful death." Elsa didn't mention anything about the fact that she would've been the one to kill her sister. She needed to make this about Hans, not about herself. "You're brother did his best to end my life. He was a Prince of the Southern Isles. Why should I place any more trust in their King?"

"My brother has been stripped of his title. He's no longer a Prince of the Southern Isles. Currently, he's sitting in a dungeon, awaiting his punishment. We never would have allowed any of these things to happen, Elsa," he assured her. "Perhaps we could discuss a change in our economic understandings," Alexander suggested. "There are a great many things that the Southern Isles have to offer Arendelle and, after my brother's actions, we are more than willing to come to a rather friendly agreement."

"I would have to discuss it with the castle's stewardess," she replied. "But I'm sure that we could come to an agreement." Alexander didn't miss the reference to consulting her stewardess. For all her cold exterior, the queen was unsure of herself. He was offering her a deal of a lifetime, even if she didn't realize it. They had moved to the chapel, the stained glass throwing colorful shadows over the ground. "What is to be done to your brother?" she finally asked. She wasn't sure how she could punish Anna if the situation had been reversed.

"We're not sure yet," he admitted. "I plan to discuss the matter with my brothers once the two of us have smoothed things over. I know that this may sound presumptuous, Elsa, but I was hoping that my brothers, our guards, and myself could impose on your hospitality. I have heard such great things about Arendelle."

_When I haven't frozen it to solid ice,_ she whispered. They had made it to the front of the castle now. The fountains were still as frozen as she'd left them after her sister had thawed out and Hans had been sent home. Alexander surprised her by stepping away from his place beside her and and strode straight to the fountains. They're beautiful," he muttered. "This is what you are able to do?" he asked, his fingers tracing the pattern that swirled through the ice.

"Sometimes," she replied softly. "Sometimes, it becomes more dangerous than this. Like it did the night of the coronation." She hadn't meant to admit it, but there was something about the man that reminded her of her father. He was quiet and calm, but everything about him screamed strength and security. She wondered what had happened to him, what had made him into the king. He'd made it clear that he had never asked for the title that he'd received. _Best I not know,_ she decided. "I'm sure that you must be hungry, Your Highness. I'm sure that our cook will have something available for your and your people," she said.

Alexander wondered what had caused her to revert to formality, but decided it best not to question her. "We appreciate your hospitality," he replied instead.

* * *

**Author's Note Cont.: We just have to get through all the introductory stuff first. And, for those who don't follow my other stories, I DO NOT UPDATE ON SUNDAYS. Most other days, I put up chapters, but on Sundays, I take a day to breathe and work on other things. Review please!**


	4. Chapter III

**Author's Note: For those who read my other stories, I won't be updating them tonight. I started work at the crack of dawn, but since this story is in its infancy, I wanted to get a chapter (maybe two, depending on reviews) up tonight. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter III**

Elsa walked the halls silently, her head held high as she ascended the staircase. She ignored the rest of the people that were mulling around the halls, strode straight to her room and slid inside. She pressed her shoulders into the door and took a deep breath, looking around the room. For twenty-one long years, she'd been confined to this room. It had been her home, the only safe place that she'd had in her life. Since her return, she'd made it into her own castle, like the one she'd had on the North Mountain.

She'd turned her regular four posted bed into a canopy, the ice draped like sky blue fabric over the top of the four posts, falling down as curtains around her bed. She'd iced the floor over so that it was solid and sure. She could create anything that she wanted with little more than a thought. This is what she wanted her life to be. She didn't want to be controlled by the title that she now bore. She wanted to be free, to let her powers flow and flourish. Instead, she needed to ensure the safety and happiness of her people.

But this spot, her bedroom, her _home,_ it was the one place that she could completely be herself without disappointing the countless lives that were relying on her to provide for them. Pushing herself away from the door, she walked to the window that she'd spent her entire life looking out. Anna was standing in the middle of the courtyard, her hands planted firmly on her hips, though she was smiling. She noticed that Kristoff had his arms folded over his chest, a smug smile on his face. She wondered what the two of them were arguing about.

Where Hans had immediately raised her hackles and caused her to question the man's intentions towards her sister, Kristoff clearly cared about Anna. He had taken care of her when Elsa had failed to do so. And, unlike Hans, he hadn't proposed to her sister days after meeting her. Kristoff was kind and sweet, but he left every night to return to his home. There were even days that the two didn't see each other, especially in the days that Kristoff was off making ice deliveries. "What are we looking at?" a voice asked her, bubbly and happy.

"Olaf!" she shouted, pressing a hand against her chest with the surprise. She hadn't even heard the snowman. "What are you doing in here?" she asked, laughing a little to take the edge off of her startled, breathless tone. He pressed his carrot nose against the windowpane, watching the two of them down below. "They certainly look happy, don't they?" she whispered. Olaf nodded, his head cocked to the side. She wondered what he was thinking about. She knew what she was thinking about. Would she ever find someone who cared about her like Kristoff cared about her sister?

It was doubtful, if she was being honest. She knew that she was destined to be alone for the rest of her life, with her sister and Kristoff and Olaf as her company. Eventually, Kristoff and Anna would leave. Whether they left together or apart, she wasn't sure. But they would leave. Olaf would be the only person that she would have around her for a long time. Of course, he was made of snow. It would stand to reason that the only person that she would have to help her survive her life would be made of ice and snow. "Anna wants to have a ball," Olaf said. He spun around to face her, waving his stick arms at her wildly. "Because the King of the Southern Isles is here."

"Anna just wants to have a ball," she replied, rolling her eyes at him. It made sense that her sister would want to have people around, especially since the first ball that she'd thrown hadn't gone as well as she'd been hoping. It was understandable. For so many years, Anna had been prisoner to Elsa's voluntary solitude. "What do you think about a ball, Olaf?" she asked, looking at the stout creature of snow.

"We should have a ball!" he shouted in response. "There could be dancing and music and food and dancing," he listed in a dreamy voice. Elsa smiled and giggled at the little thing. Having a ball would certainly make it clear that Elsa didn't harbor any resentment towards King Alexander. In truth, she didn't feel any anger towards Alexander. He hadn't done anything to her. The other brothers hadn't done anything to her. Hans had attempted to ruin everything, but he was no longer there. There was no reason to punish an entire nation for the actions of one man.

"I suppose that having a ball would be a good idea," she allowed, looking out over the courtyard to find that Anna and Kristoff had settled their differences and were romping around the grass in obvious pursuit of each other. "Thanks for talking to me, Olaf," she added, bending down to give the snowman the warm hugs he enjoyed so much. He responded with his typical laugh and skipped out of the room.

"I didn't even have to say something; I'm that smart," he said with another chuckle. "Hey Sven!" he greeted the reindeer and slid the door shut behind him.

Elsa took a deep, calming breath and told herself to buck up. She couldn't sit in this room and hide away. She had promised her sister that they would be a part of the world again. Anna wouldn't let her go; it was the reason that she hadn't left when Elsa had first returned to Arendelle. Anna wanted to be as close as they'd been when they were kids. It was hard to fight what everything in her life told her was right. She wanted to curl up and hide away and she couldn't. So she turned around and headed down the hallway to the hatch that led to the kitchen. "Cookie?" she called into the depths. The woman was tall, skinnier than a toothpick and probably older than God himself. Her face was lined with wrinkles and everything about her screamed hostility. But Elsa knew from experience that the woman had a heart of gold.

The older woman looked up at her with a deadly glare, but it was nothing more than what she was used to. "I was thinking that we could throw a feast, a mini ball, in honor of our guests from the Southern Isles," Elsa explained. The woman's eyes went wide with question, but Elsa pressed onwards. "Would you have enough time to get things together for a feast, Cookie? Or is this too much pressure for you? I don't want you to—"

"I can put a feast together faster than you can freeze the world," the woman spat indignantly. Elsa liked that she wasn't afraid to point out the things that Elsa had done. She was a strong, belligerent old woman. She wasn't afraid of setting Elsa off. She wasn't afraid of anything. "Tell them soldier boys to come to the kitchen. I'll need their help to bring in a goose or two." Elsa nodded and turned around, but was stopped by the woman's voice. "My Queen, are you sure that you want to celebrate the arrival of the King?" she asked.

"King Alexander has done nothing to warrant hatred from Arendelle," Elsa replied. "My parents were fair and even-tempered people. I see no reason why that should change now." There was a glimmer of pride in the older woman's eyes, but Elsa would never see it. "Please prepare the feast, Cookie," she said, walking straight out into the hallway once more.

She was returning to the Great Hall, intending on finding her captain and request some men to help the cook gather the things that she needed when she heard the man snarling and shrieking to the warriors that he was training. "Queen! My Queen! You should come to the training fields. I think you might be needed," a serving girl told her, her skirts picked up and bunched around her knees as she flew down the steps.

"Slow down, Sally," Elsa said, reaching out to grip the girl's shoulders and instantly pulling away. "What is going on?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest and pasting a smile on her face so that she wouldn't know the fear that was her constant enemy.

"There's a fight in the training fields, my Queen," the girl explained. "King Alexander and his brothers were training when the King turned around and struck one of the young warriors. The two of them are locked in battle and Captain Michael hasn't been able to make the young man stop," she explained. "You must stop them, Queen Elsa. Henry is the warrior that is in battle. Please… I love him," she explained, wringing her hands together.

"Let's go quickly then," Elsa said softly, "before your friend comes to harm." She couldn't give the visiting king the same promise, though.


	5. Chapter IV

**Author's Note: You know that you've worked too much when your boss tells you to take a day off for the first time in two years. Anyways, I didn't get a second chapter up last night because I (cough, cough) fell asleep almost immediately. Moving on! Someone reviewed and asked whether this story was going to be action oriented or romance oriented. Ummmm... both? For those who read my other work, you guys know that I'm a slow writer. I enjoy stories developing and I think that stories that have a specific orientation are boring. So, there will be some action, but the story is focusing on Elsa and Alexander and what they need. Okay? Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter IV**

The two men were locked in their own heated battle, ignoring the shouts from the people surrounding them. Elsa heard the visiting royal's brothers shouting at him to stop fighting. They were warning him of the consequences he'd face for attacking one of Arendelle's soldiers. The men from her own kingdom, however, varied. She heard some egging the young troop on, telling him to rid Arendelle of the scum from the Southern Isles. But she also heard the more sensible men instructing the boy to surrender; he had no chance of winning.

Elsa strode to the center of the fields and looked between the two men. "Stop!" she shouted at them. Neither one of them paid her any mind. "Stop this, immediately!" she repeated. Alexander thrust the boy away from him with a snarl. Elsa used the moment to stride between them. "Stop!" she screamed, throwing her hands to her sides. The ice shredded the globes that she was wearing, the scraps falling to the ground. The points were sharper than knives, each pointing at a man's stomach. But it did what it was supposed to. Her entire body was trembling but she didn't have time for the worries that crowded her about what her people would think. It was one thing to use her powers for beauty and fun. It was another when the ice became dangerous.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, twisting her head to look at the king. Forget unrepentant; the man looked positively deadly. She pitied Henry for crossing the man, even as she was furious with Alexander for attacking one of her men. "We welcome you with open arms and you repay us by attacking one of our own?" she asked him. He opened his mouth, but Elsa didn't give him the chance to defend himself. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave, King Alexander. I won't allow you to stay if you're going to be a threat to my people."

She dropped her hand and thought briefly of her sister to force the ice in front of the young man to melt. She turned fully to face the visiting king, but he snarled at her instead of backing down. "Maybe the other men in your kingdom will allow a soldier to insult their queen, but I was raised not to condone that sort of behavior," he snapped.

"I beg your pardon?" Her surprise made the ice drop from its threatening position in front of Alexander.

"Don't listen to him, Your Highness," the soldier said, jumping forward and coming to stand beside the queen. "He's the brother of that traitorous Hans. He'll say anything in order to keep himself out of trouble."

"You lying swine!" Alexander growled. "You want to know what he said? He said that it was only a matter of time before you left again and that Arendelle was better off without a cursed _witch_ for a queen." Elsa flinched at the hateful words before she could school her features into her usual mask.

"Thank you for defending my honor," she whispered. "Please leave my men alone."

"Elsa, wait!" she heard Anna shouting behind her, but she needed to get away before she lost complete control of herself. She walked as quickly as she dared to the edge of the courtyard, ignoring the people that shouted after her and begged for her to stop or to wait or to come back. She kept walking until the first trees of the forest came into view, then she sprinted like the devil was on her heels.

She'd seen a pond from bedroom window for a long time, but now it was all that she needed. She walked straight to the center of the water and sank down on the ice that had followed her every footstep. She had tried so hard to figure out how to please her people. When she'd first returned home from the North Mountain, her plan had been to stay strong and be the person that she truly was. The people had been accepting of her in the beginning, but they'd still had wariness of her powers. She had decided to conceal herself as much as she could, to only use her powers for frolicsome fun. She beat her fist against the ice, wishing that she could change the way things were. It was safe to be herself, so long as she didn't hurt people. It was okay for her to use her powers, as long as they didn't threaten anyone. She'd told herself that if she could just keep her powers to a minimum and avoid hurting people, her people would accept her and there wouldn't be problems. From the words that had been so hatefully thrown about, it wasn't true. There would still be some in her kingdom who wouldn't like who she was. It wouldn't matter that she hadn't hurt the young soldier. There would always be others like him.

Exhausted, overwhelmed, and afraid, Elsa laid herself down on the ice, swirling her hand to create a small covering to block out the warm summer wind. She pillowed her head on her arms and let her eyes close. It was all too much. It wouldn't matter what she did or who she protected. People in Arendelle actually thought that the kingdom would be better off without her.

Back at the castle, Anna was standing at the gates, looking over the cobblestone bridge. Her sister fled, hair streaming behind her back as she ran. "Elsa, wait!" she screamed again and again, but Elsa didn't stop. It was like coronation day all over again. Anna wheeled around to look at the warrior that had insulted her sister. "You had no right to say those things about my sister!" she screamed at the man who wasn't much older than herself. She took two heavy steps towards him before Kristoff caught her around the waist and hauled her back.

"Calm down there," he said. "We both remember what happened with Marshmallow." Anna huffed at him in frustration, but Kristoff didn't let her go.

Alexander was shocked. He'd expected the queen to demand punishment for the man who had dared insult her. He was surprised when she'd demanded that he leave her men alone and walked away. "Is this _boy_ not to be punished?" Alexander demanded, pointing the tip of his sword towards the traitor. "He insulted the queen. Does that mean nothing to you? Or are you all in agreement that your queen is a danger?"

"Are you trying to incite a riot?" The captain of the guards demanded, stepping out from the gathering of soldiers. "I will not tolerate treason against my queen. Not from a royal visiting from the Southern Isles and not from one of my own men. Queen Elsa asked that _you_ not harm her people, King Alexander. I, on the other hand, have the authority to punish the boy for his words. Guards, take him to the dungeon until I can consult the queen."

"You think she's coming back?" Anna demanded, struggling against Kristoff's grasp. "My sister wants to live in peace and you've made her feel unwelcome once again! Why would she come back here?"

While Anna bickered and shouted about her sister, Alexander stepped back to his brothers' sides. "Keep them distracted for a few minutes. I'd like to go and check on the queen. Apparently, I have even more to apologize for. Who knew defending a woman's honor was a crime?" he muttered. Liam and Lucas nodded and stepped into the fray to defend their brother. Alexander stepped around the crowd and turned his back to face the crowd as he slowly backed out of the gate.

He followed the bridge through the town and marched to the edge of the forest. Tiny footprints had smashed the grass, the steps frantic and far apart. She'd been sprinting. He traced her footsteps until they turned into steps surrounded by ice. He followed them to a pond, the surface covered with ice as thick as it would've been in the dead of winter. Curled up in a tight ball, Elsa lay on the ice with a thin sheet for covering. "Queen Elsa?" he called, but she didn't rouse. Tentatively, he stepped onto the ice and tested its ability to hold his weight.

Her lashes were spiked with tears, the tracks frozen on her cheeks. The girl was exhausted, overwrought. He reached out to brush an icy droplet from her cheek, but it wouldn't budge. He slid his hands underneath her petite frame and lifted her to his chest. The covering was colder than ice, and something he suspected that she'd made. Still, when he touched her cheek, he didn't feel too cold. He suspected it was some part of her abilities. What wasn't, though, was the exhaustion that practically radiated off of her. He pushed himself to his feet, slipping a little on the ice before he regained his footing.

The warm summer air blew over his face, the breeze picking up strands of the young queen's hair and brushing them over his face. "Come on, Your Highness," he said, knowing full well she couldn't hear him. "Let's bring you back to _your_ castle."


	6. Chapter V

**Author's Note: To make up for the double I promised you last night. **

* * *

**Chapter V**

Elsa rolled over and stretched, feeling the comfort of the feathers around her body. Then she jolted upright, realizing that she no longer in the safe haven of her forest. "You're awake," Anna muttered, seeing her sister sitting upright on the bed. She launched herself onto the bed, burrowing into her sister's side. The moon illuminated the bed, casting a silvery glow over her blue-grey sheets. "Do you want to build a snowman?" Anna teased. Elsa laughed a little, but pulled her knees up to her chest instead of responding. "Olaf could use a friend."

"How did I get back here?" Elsa whispered, resting her chin on her knees.

"King Alexander brought you back from the pond," Anna informed her. She floundered around on the bed, her nightgown tangling around her legs as she rolled to her back and looked up at her sister. "It was so romantic, Elsa. You were so deeply asleep, you didn't wake up for a moment. He carried you straight through the gate and up to your room. You should've heard him ordering people around like it was his castle. He made the healer come up to examine you, too. He only left when I came upstairs, but Kristoff said he went down to the dungeon to find out about Henry."

"He had no right," Elsa murmured, but couldn't ignore the fluttering feeling in the pit of her stomach. She hadn't expected anyone to come after her, let alone the man that she'd nearly impaled with an ice skewer to keep him from harming her soldiers. "He isn't the king here," she added. "And Henry shouldn't be imprisoned. He was only giving his opinion. I'm sure that there are others who feel the same." Anna gaped at her sister in confusion.

"Because they have an opinion doesn't mean that they get to voice it. I think a lot of things that I don't say," Anna told her sister sternly. "Besides, you're the queen. If someone had said something against Mom or Dad, he would've been banished from Arendelle. That would always be an option, Elsa. You could banish him if you don't want to have him punished."

"He doesn't deserve to be punished and he doesn't need to be banished," Elsa insisted. "He was only saying why a million other people were thinking. There's no reason for him to be in trouble for voicing his thoughts, however rude they were. Besides, one of the serving girls stepped forward and told me that she loves him. The last thing that she deserves is to be hurt because I'm upset. They'll just think that I'm a vindictive little girl if I react to this. I'll go down to the dungeon and clear this up." Elsa stood and changed into her blue nightgown and pulled the silver robe over her body, cinching it with a ribbon and starting down the stairs to the dungeon, despite Anna's pleas for her to let him stay in the dungeon for the night.

"I demand that you let this man free," she said, shoving the door to the dungeon aside. The guard jumped upright, his helmet falling from its spot shielding his eyes. The moment that he stood, Elsa released the crest on his tunic wasn't one of Arendelle's. He was one of the men that King Alexander had brought in. More precisely, one of his brothers. She stumbled a step back, her mouth opened and closed like a fish. "I'm so sorry; I didn't realize that you weren't one of my guards." She wrapped her arms around herself, wishing that she had gloves. Instead, she fed her hands up the long sleeves of her robe.

"My apologies, Your Highness," Liam said, bending at the waist to bow to her. "I didn't mean to startle you. My brother is King Alexander of the Southern Isles. He asked me to remain on guard this evening, in case the prisoner has any friend who would break him out," he explained. "The King himself stood guard outside your door until your captain returned. He didn't want your leniency with the prisoner to leave you vulnerable to an attack." Elsa felt that odd fluttering in the pit of her stomach again. "You said that you wanted the prisoner to be released, Queen Elsa?"

She thought for a moment that he would deny her the request. After all, he wasn't one of her guards. There was no law that required him to listen to her. She gave a stiff nod to the man, thinking that he looked similar to his brother, but there was something infinitely more alluring about Alexander. "As you wish, Your Majesty." He strode straight to the door and unlocked the gate, leading Elsa to wonder how he'd gotten the keys. "You've been released." Young Henry bolted from the door without even a bow in the queen's direction. Liam fought the urge to throttle the man. The boy didn't even realize that it was the queen who had set him free, who'd refused to punish him. Liam narrowed his eyes and felt his lips curl in a snarl. The boy said hateful things about a woman who'd been trying to save his life. "Could I escort you back to your room, Queen Elsa? There could be unsavory sorts hanging about."

"No need, Liam," the deep voice. She felt the solid presence at her back before she saw him, standing in front of her like a warrior come to save her life. Not that she needed saving. She was fine on her own. "You can find your rest now. I'll escort the queen back to her room and ensure her safety." Liam nodded at his brother, noting that the queen looked a little stricken. Elsa knew that men slept shirtless; her father had. But there was something different about seeing Alexander in only a pair of linen pants. He hadn't even bothered to pull a robe over his well sculpted chest.

She knew that he would be a good looking man, just from the way that his clothing fitted his body. But seeing that body without any fabric to cover it shocked her. She felt the heat creep up her neck, felt the blush staining her cheeks. "Queen Elsa, allow me to bring you back to your room. It's late for a woman to be wandering dark hallways alone," he said, looking at the dazed woman with some concern. What had the prisoner said to her before she'd let him go? "Queen Elsa?" He reached out to take her shoulder and gently shake it, but her jolted to awareness and jumped out of his reach.

"I thought we had made an agreement to call each without titles," she whispered in a hoarse voice. She folded her arms over her chest, pushing her breasts and emphasizing the narrow waist. He gave her a roguish grin that sent her knees to trembling.

"That we have, Elsa." He held out an arm to her, watched her stare at it for a moment before wrapping her hands around their opposite forearms. Taking a risk, he stepped forward and leaned down over her tiny form. "I don't bite," he whispered, like he used to tell his brothers when they were but children without parents. Back when his brothers could barely who he was, he'd been gone so long. To his surprise, the ice queen's facade snapped and she offered him the tiniest glimmer of a smile.

"I'm sure you don't, but I have a bad habit of freezing things," she whispered. Alexander cocked his head to the side and looked at her with a quizzical eye. Finally, he gripped her hand and turned, fitting the petite palm to the bend in his elbow and nestling her hand there.

"You didn't freeze me earlier and that was a far longer walk than this one," he said, sliding his hand over hers. Elsa was surprised with how warm his skin was. Maybe her skin was just colder than everyone else's because of her abilities. Maybe his skin was just warmer than most others'. She wasn't all together sure. What she was sure of was that he felt good. For the first time since she was a child, she felt normal again. "Why did you let him go?" he asked her when the were ascending the stairs. "He did not deserve such kindness."

"We all have mean thoughts," she whispered. "He doesn't deserve to be banished or punished because he had the courage to speak them aloud."

"There is a difference between speaking ill of another soldier and speaking ill of a queen," Alexander said softly.

Elsa carefully extracted her arm and turned to face him. "What makes me any different from them?" she whispered. "Royal blood? My father used to say that there's nothing royal about our blood. We were chosen because we were good leaders, but we're no different from the people that work our fields and fight for our kingdom."

"Your father was a smart man," Alexander whispered, remembering when his father had given him similar words.

"Yes, he was. So, what should I tell this man? That because I'm the queen, he isn't allowed to speak his mind? They were just words. They weren't actions," she said. Alexander didn't realize how wise the woman was until she'd opened her mouth. "You said that you didn't want your title, isn't that correct?" Alexander nodded. "If a man spoke out against you and you weren't king, you would punch him and walk away. There's no difference between the two of us there."

"Fine; I will admit that speaking out against another man is nothing. But a man speaking out against a woman is wrong," Alexander said quietly. _Especially a woman who is obviously as kind hearted as yours,_ he thought instead of speaking.

"I can take care of myself, Alexander," she whispered, taking a step back towards her door. At least they were back to first names instead of titles. "Good night."

"Good night…Elsa."


	7. Chapter VI

**Author's Note: Just a notice that I will be going on a little vacation (at least in my mind) to start working on something. My author's notes will be short (or nonexistent) and I won't be checking an email that isn't work related. I'll log on every once in a while, but for the next two weeks or so, I won't be doing more than just posting chapters. Okay? Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter VI**

"Why don't you make one of your own dresses?" Anna suggested nearly two weeks later while the two of them were sitting on Anna's bed, picking out dresses for the welcoming ball that they were throwing. Anna had already decided that she was wearing a silk taffeta confection of jade green, her blue eyes popping against her hair and gown. Elsa, however, was torn between a navy blue gown and a coral pink one. Neither of which, in Anna's opinion, suited her sister properly.

When Elsa had returned to Arendelle after, what the people were calling, the Great Freeze, Anna had hoped that her sister would become more of herself. And there were some parts of herself that Elsa had set free, but for every piece that she'd set free, she'd locked three more away. She wanted to push her sister into revealing more of who she was to the rest of the world, but was still hesitant. She didn't want Elsa to break as she had during the coronation. "You seemed so much happier when you were wearing that dress from the North Mountain," Anna pointed out again. "And you're the new queen. Who cares who Mom used to dress?"

"It's not appropriate and you know it," Elsa said, but smiled to keep the malice from her tone. "The pink dress would be different from my usual color scheme."

"Ice blue," Anna said, smiling at her sister. "Why don't you just stick with that, Elsa? I'm telling you, make yourself a dress like you did up on the mountain. No one will notice that you're wearing something that Mom didn't used to wear. It will only matter that you look like you and that you look happy. After all, you are the queen."

Elsa strode to the window and looked over the courtyard where King Alexander and his brothers were training with some of their men. Their visit had been productive. Alexander and Elsa had sat down and drafted the agreements for the trading between Arendelle and the Southern Isles. She had given him a real tour of the keep, instead of needing an excuse to glean the young king's motives from his actions. What she had discovered, however, in the few times that they had been alone and talking, was that the king was a man of few words and great action.

He had a deep affection for his brothers, evident by the courier he sent to bring letters to his younger siblings. She gathered that he'd raised them to some extent, but didn't know anything about the story. She did know that he was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. In his royal finery, he looked every inch a king. But it was when he was training that he seemed most at home in his own skin. Wielding a sword and fighting with his brothers was when she saw hope in his eyes and joy on his face.

"He's not the _worst looking_ man," Anna said, startling her older sister who had been too focused on the man below to have heard her sister appear behind her. "I've seen the two of you together," she added, watching her sister's face closely for any signs that she harbored feelings for the king. "He seems very nice," she prompted, hoping to get something more from her sister than just the icy stare. "He certainly didn't have to defend you the way that you did. And Sally said she saw him walking you back to your room that night. Cookie thinks the two of you are getting…cozy."

"We are _not_," Elsa snapped, looking at her sister. "He's a nice man, Anna, I'll give you that. But it doesn't matter if he's nice to me. He's just a man and I have other things that I need to be focused on."

"But you're still focused on Alexander," Anna reminded her.

"I am not!" Elsa said, bumping into her sister's shoulder to shake the girl away from her. "Between the two of us, you're the one that has someone who cares enough to court you," Elsa pointed out. "How _are_ things between you and Mr. Kristoff?" Anna twirled in dizzying circles and flopped down on her bed, looking up at the fabric canopy. Elsa watched her sister's dreamy expression and then the trouble that clouded her face. "What's wrong? I thought you were happy with Kristoff."

"I am," Anna said, popping up to stare at her sister. "It's just…different than what I had expected. The night that I met Hans, I was so ready to fall in love, I think I completely missed the all the signs. I had this idea in my head that there would be butterflies in my stomach and my heart would flutter. I had this idea that I would be swept off my feet. When Hans came in and there was all the stuff at the docks— I don't know; I must've hit my head harder than a thought. I was already half in love with him before we danced and he proposed."

"You were in love with the _idea_ of being in love," Elsa said, putting Anna's feelings into words.

"And then Kristoff came around. He was gruff and crude and…everything that Hans wasn't. I was so devoted to Hans that I didn't see the gift that had been put in front of me."

"But you don't get butterflies when you see Kristoff?" Elsa guessed.

The dreamy look returned to her sister's face. "No; I see fireworks," Anna breathed, flopping back on the bed. Her smile could have blown away the sun if they'd been outside. "And red," Anna added. "Sometimes he makes my blood boil; he's infuriating and insufferable. But at the end of all of it, he's still the person that I want to go and talk to; he's still the person that I trust to protect me."

"And he hasn't proposed to you yet," Elsa pointed out. "Which means that _I_ trust him. But none of this matters. Alexander and I are not you and Kristoff. We're not even…_Alexander and I_. And I believe that the two of us are talking about dresses, not about men."

"Anna? I was thinking about going for a ride with Sven. Did you—do you want to come?" Kristoff asked, poking his head around the corner of the door and smiling at the two of them. Anna gave a giddy laugh, launched herself off the bed and into Kristoff arms.

"Make your own dress, Elsa. You're prettier your way," Anna said, linking her fingers with Kristoff's and following him down the stairs. Elsa looked out over the courtyard again. Alexander reached over and shoved one of his brothers out of the way in a playful manner. One of the younger boys wearing the Arendelle crest stepped forward. He bowed to the king and must have said something to him as well. Alexander ruffled the kid's hair and smiled at him before sinking to his knees, lifting his dagger, and sparring with the boy.

Elsa smoothed down the front of her dress, feeling the icy silk slide beneath her hands. Her hair was pulled back and away from her face, but hung over her shoulder in a long white tail. The dress that she had created was much the same as the one that she'd made up on the mountain, except that she'd left out the cloak and had nixed the slit that had run up to her knee. She wanted to be herself, but to seem more regal at the same time. The dress was icy blue and form fitting, lacking the full skirt that Anna loved so much. "You look fantastic, Elsa!" Anna exclaimed and wrapped her arms around her sister's neck.

King Alexander and his brothers, Liam and Lucas, were placed at the high table alongside Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff. The guards were in their finery, but all of them stared at the visitors as if they were waiting for them to explode again. After the feast was finished and the food was cleared away, the group moved to the ballroom for the dancing. Elsa had arranged for Anna to dance with the King, to welcome him to the country. But when the musicians were prepared and waiting, Alexander stepped forward and bowed before Elsa. "May I have this dance, Queen Elsa?" he asked in his deep voice.

"Oh, no, no," she replied, holding her hands up and taking a step back. "I don't dance, King Alexander. My sister—"

"Is not the royal that I would like to dance with," he interrupted. He held out his hand, still bent at the waist and waiting for her to place her palm in his hand. "Please?" He was struggling to keep himself from begging. From the moment that he had seen the queen enter the room, he had realized that he had never truly seen her. She was stunning, her hair swooping around her face instead of piled atop her head. He could almost see the gleam of snow in the strands. Her dress showed off well-formed curves and a pleasing shape. Her face was stunning, even with the hard set of her chin and jaw. She tried to shake her head, to tell him no, but he was already reaching up to take hold of one of her raised hands. "I don't bite, remember."

And he was most determined to dance with her. He'd been fighting to urge to hold her in his arms since that first day that he'd picked her up and brought her back to the castle. She'd been such a lovely fit in his arms, a surprising fit. The music began to swell around them as he brought her up against his chest, fitting his hand to the small of her back and closing his fingers around hers. They spun in an easy circle as he danced with her, tightening her hold on his waist. "I saw you earlier," he told her. "You were watching me earlier. Why?"

"Because I was interested in seeing if you were going to hurt that little boy," Elsa lied. "The page who came up to you was wearing Arendelle's crest."

"I would never hurt a child," Alexander growled, his voice dark and strained with anger. "I've spent the last six years raising them, remember? Although in your eyes, I probably wasn't the best parent. You've met my youngest brother."

"I don't think that you're to blame for your brothers actions," Elsa said quietly, trying to ignore the feel of his hands, the warmth filtering through her gown. "There are some things that are hardwired into a person. Besides, I've met Liam and Lucas and they're nothing like Hans."

"You don't think that they needed real parents instead of an older brother?" he asked. Elsa could feel the self loathing that was radiating off of him. He blamed himself.

"What—What happened to your parents if you don't mind me asking?" she whispered.

The music was still swelling behind them and Alexander was still swinging her around, but there was some tension in his muscles that she immediately noticed. "It was all my fault."


	8. Chapter VII

**Author's Note: I guess I didn't make this clear earlier. I will still read each and every review as they come in. I will still be posting chapters. The only thing that will change are my author's notes and my response times to PMs and questions on reviews. I'll post a chapter everyday (or thereabouts). Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter VII**

"Maybe we should go for a walk," Elsa suggested, realizing that she had opened a topic of conversation that wasn't appropriate in front of the group of people. "I don't know if this is something that we should be talking about in front of the entire kingdom," she breathed.

"My, my, Queen Elsa, what would the people say if they saw the two of us sneaking off together," he teased, but the glint that normally lit his eyes wasn't there. "Come on," he said, lowering their still entwined hands, shifting them so that his fingers slid between hers. He gently swirled her towards the edge of the dancers, barely noticing that he passed by Liam dancing with Anna. The cool air of the balcony hit the two of them like a wall, neither of them having realized how warm the ballroom was. "If I answer your question, will you answer mine?" he asked.

"Fair's fair," Elsa whispered, wondering what she'd gotten into. "You said that…that it was all your fault. But the men that I've spoken to said that you weren't even in the Southern Isles at the time of your parents death."

"I see you've been researching me, my Queen," Alexander said, cocking his head to the side as if he could somehow understand more about her from a different angle. "Your sources are correct. I wasn't in the Southern Isles when my parents died." That was why it was his fault. He could almost see the missive his father had sent him in front of his eyes, like he was holding it instead of Elsa's hand. "I was sixteen and stupid. I never wanted the title; my father knew that. I think he wanted my brother Klaus to take over. I was a better leader on the field than I was from a throne. Klaus…he just had the ability to make people listen to him, to understand the way that people around him were thinking and feeling and come up with the best solution for them. There's no law that says that _I_ had to be the king, after all. Our laws say that it could be any of his offspring, even those that aren't between him and my mother.

"At the time, we had an alliance with Arendelle and Weselton. The Duke of Weselton requested troops to help with their fight against some foreigners. My father sent me to head up the troops, knowing that keeping me behind would do no good. I was sixteen, old enough to be considered a man, but young enough to believe that I was invincible." Alexander released her hand as if he'd been stung. Elsa felt a pang in her heart, wondering what she had done. She would never know that Alexander felt as if he didn't deserve any connection to people. He'd betrayed his family, even if he hadn't meant to. "My mother fell ill. My father sent a message to the troops, to me. He'd requested that I come home, to protect my brothers and be with my mother." He shook his head sadly, crossing his forearms and leaning against the stone railing of the balcony.

"I didn't go."

Elsa froze as his words sank into her brain and she realized what he'd said. "We were in the middle of a battle. I convinced myself that my mother would be well long enough for me to help the men. I convinced myself that they needed me more." He looked tortured, like after all of these years, he still couldn't believe what it was that he had done to his family. "I left my family open and vulnerable. My mother died of tuberculosis. The foreigners that we were fighting realized where Weselton was getting troops from. They attacked the Southern Isles, my family and my friends. We're a series of islands. We're vulnerable from every angle. With most of our troops deployed to help Weselton, they were left to die. My father headed the few men that we had left. He was the first to die."

Suddenly, losing her parents to a storm didn't seem as terrible. Much as she wished that she could find a way to blame herself for her parents death, if only to have someone to blame, she wasn't. She knew that Alexander wasn't responsible for his parents' deaths either. Unfortunately, she wasn't close enough to him to tell him what a dunce he was being. Instead, she had to force herself to listen to him, to his story, to the blame. "I came home the second that I got the message. They'd killed everyone that they could. The boys had only survived because my father locked them in the dungeon. The invaders thought that they were prisoners and left them there to starve.

"If I had just come home when my father had requested, I could've stopped it all. I could've been there to protect him when the invaders came. Instead, I was selfish and thought I knew best. If I had gone home, my father would've expected me to make decisions about the politics behind the war. It's funny, though. I didn't want the title, but when they died, that was the only thing I had left. I killed them and the only way that I could fix it was to become the king."

Elsa noticed that his knuckles were white, his fists were clenched so tight. "There's one thing I don't understand," Elsa said, wanting nothing more than to distract him from his pain. He looked at her, his eyes dead. She'd never seen that expression on his face before. "You said that you started raising your brothers six years ago, but your parents passed ten years ago." There was a four year gap that was unaccounted for. "Where were you?" she asked him softly. Alexander took a deep breath and turned around, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning his head back to look at the sky.

"If you'd asked me a few years ago, I would've told you that I was doing what needed to be done in order to protect my family and my kingdom. But now, with a few years under my belt, I realize that I was hiding. I was king in name only. Our steward was in charge of everything while I remained at battle. I found the men who killed my father and took my people. I even killed the man that was responsible."

"That took you four years?" she asked him, confused.

"No, it took me four years to track down the person who mattered most," he said, giving a harsh laugh. "I still haven't gotten them back." Elsa balked, completely confused now.

"I don't understand," she said when Alexander offered no explanation. "You said that your brothers survived."

"My brothers did. Our sister, Zoe, didn't," he whispered, looking at the stairs once again. "Our father had hidden her away in the solar, hoping that they wouldn't think to look there. She was only six at the time. Father couldn't imagine putting her in a dungeon, especially when he didn't know how long she would be there. Her nursemaid was slaughtered trying to protect her."

"And you went looking for her," Elsa breathed. "That's what took you so long to get back."

"I came back after Liam was shot. He was nineteen at the time. He'd thought that he'd found the men that took Zoe and ended up close to death. I realized that the men weren't being trained or raised properly. I had brought in the best tudors, hired the best nursemaids and nannies to take care of them. But it was different than having me there. So I came home to take care of them, to be the person that they needed."

"But not the person that you want to be," Elsa murmured. She knew what that felt like. It was painful to have to sacrifice yourself in order to protect your family. "Did you find Zoe?" she whispered.

"Worse." His restlessness got a hold of him and made him begin to pace. He took the stairs down to the garden, leaving her alone. She followed him, wondering what she'd said and how she could help. She'd been reunited with a sister that was right beside her all along. She didn't know what she would've done if Anna had been missing for ten years.

He threw a fist into the trunk of one of the great oaks in the garden. Elsa watched the tree shudder and the loose leaves fall. "Worse," he groaned again, his voice rough and dark. "I know exactly where she is and I can't go get her."

"I don't understand," she said for what felt like the millionth time that evening. "Why can't you go get her?"

"Because I have no proof; at least, nothing definitive. I can't attack a country without be one hundred percent sure. It's why I was gone for so long. I was trying to sneak my way in to find her. The only reason I know she's still alive is because he sends me…gifts."

"Who?" she asked.

"The damn king of Weselton."

* * *

**Author's Note Cont.: Just an extra chapter to make up for the fact that I didn't get a chapter up yesterday. Review! I may not respond, but I still read.**


	9. Chapter VIII

**Author's Note: Happy reading and reviewing!**

* * *

**Chapter VIII**

"I don't understand. If you fought for Weselton, why would their king take your sister?" Elsa begged, completely confused.

"Because he wanted our lands. The Southern Isles are a series of islands just a few miles from the coastlines of Weselton. "It's the only thing that makes sense. The troops from there Southern Isles were always the men of the frontline. We lost husbands, sons, uncles, nephews, brothers," he explained. "We lost more men than any of the other aligned countries. There were no crests on the men that invaded our lands. The people that attacked us wanted to be a secret. They killed everyone in their sight. They didn't spare women or children or the elderly. They just killed everyone. And Zoe wasn't the only girl that was taken. She's just the only one that was my sister."

"_Is_ your sister," Elsa said softly. She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him around to look at her. "You said yourself, you have no proof that she's dead."

"I said that I have no proof that she's being held in Weselton," Alexander retorted. "I don't have any proof that she's alive, either. She could've been raped and killed for all I know."

"She's not dead," Elsa said sternly. She wouldn't try to tell him that she'd never been raped. "You would know if she was dead. Trust me." She had felt it in her soul the day that Anna had frozen to ice, the day that she'd realized she'd killed her sister. "You'll feel it. It's unmistakable." Chills raced up her spine as the memory of what had happened ran through her. "If someone with a heart of ice can feel it, you can." The man had returned home to raise his brothers and take a title he didn't want.

"Something tells me that your heart isn't as frozen as you'd like for everyone to think it is, Elsa," he said quietly.

"You can count on Arendelle's assistance in finding your sister. Anything that we can do to help you, you name it. No one wants to be alone," she said, remembering hearing her sister say the words to her one time when Elsa had first locked her out of her room.

"I had a question for you," Alexander said, struck by just how much the woman understood. The icy exterior that she portrayed in front of everyone was a lie and he knew it, now. In a few short words, she had managed to reinstall his faith in himself. Amazingly, she hadn't even tried to tell him that he wasn't to blame for his father's death and his sister's disappearance. She'd just listened. "What happened?" She frowned at him, not sure what he was asking but desperate not to tell him that she didn't understand. Again. "People say that you just…lost it."

Elsa snorted and then pressed a hand to her mouth, realizing how unladylike she was. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "You asked me a question. To say that I just _lost it_ is an understatement. I was only six when I nearly killed my sister. Well, when I nearly killed her the first time. We were playing in the ballroom, using my powers to make snowmen and to skate. To just be kids. I accidentally hit her when I was trying to catch her. The trolls erased her memories of the magic. They let her think that all the things that we'd done, all the things that I'd created, had just happened in winter. I didn't tell her the truth until the coronation ball. And even then, I technically didn't tell her anything.

"My parents felt that it would be for the best that no one knew what had happened to Anna and what I was capable of. You changed who you were and what you wanted to save your family. I hid my powers and locked myself in my room to protect them. _Conceal it; don't feel it. Don't let it show,_" she quoted. "My father used to repeat it to me over and over again. That was how we thought I should be controlling my powers. I wore gloves, so I never had to see the skin of my hands. I kept myself locked away to protect everyone. But the trolls had warned us; fear would be my demise. That night, I was so _scared_ of what would happen if I couldn't get through the coronation that when Anna questioned me and tried to get me to approve of her marriage to that—I'm sorry; he's your brother."

"Don't apologize," he replied quietly. "My brother wasn't a good man and his actions weren't fitting a prince of the Southern Isles." Elsa frowned and thought about what she'd learned from the man in their brief conversation.

Alexander leaned against the tree trunk. The moonlight streamed over the two of them, somehow highlighting the blue streaks he hadn't noticed in her hair. Her dress seemed to glimmer in the trees. He wondered what the material was, since he'd never felt anything like it before. Her eyes were blue, but in the light, somehow looked closer to silver. The strength and steel that seemed to keep her jaw set at such a determined angle had softened. She looked sad, but not like she was pitying him. "You shouldn't punish your brother," she whispered so quietly, Alexander almost didn't hear it. She'd been isolated for so long, it occurred to him that she probably didn't realize how softly she spoke. She'd had no one to talk to for years. No one except herself, that is. "You've already lost one sibling. I wouldn't want to be the cause of losing another one."

Alexander sighed and looked out over the flowers that were growing in their beautiful pattern. "I lost Hans before I left for the war," he whispered. "He was eight when our parents died. The age when a child truly needs their parents, if you ask me. The rest of the boys have so many memories of our parents. It made it easier for us to cope since we were able to remember so much about them. Hans just didn't have the memories. He didn't remember what our family used to be like, before I left and before our mother got sick. Before they took Zoe."

"Anna doesn't remember much about our family. She's young, of course. But she was sixteen when our parents died. She had plenty of memories of them," she whispered in response. "She remembers our parents, but she doesn't remember how carefree we used to be before her accident."

"Losing a parent is never easy," Alexander said quietly. "Whether you can remember them or not." Elsa opened his mouth to tell him that she was sorry about the things that had happened to him, that she would go and tell her guards about his sister. Someone had to know something. "Someone's coming," he said suddenly. She was surprised to feel his warm hand wrap around her upper arm. He pulled her behind him, his suspicions raising the hair on his back immediately. It was one of the few things that he truly wished he could change about himself. His family had endured so many tortures that he couldn't stop himself from seeing everything as a threat. The footsteps that he was hearing weren't running or sprinting, but they were moving with some haste.

"Maybe we should just head back to the castle," Elsa suggested, tentatively sliding a hand atop the arm that he was holding out to keep her back behind him. Chills crept up his skin as he relished the feel of her skin against his, since she'd gone without her gloves this evening. "I'm sure that they're just looking for us," she added.

They took only a step from the shadows, Alexander's hand swallowing hers as he led her back towards the castle, before everything exploded. A rock hit Elsa's cheek before Alexander could catch it or protect her. She gasped as it hit her cheek, feeling the corner of it draw blood. There were two more that managed to hit her before Alexander caught her to his chest and pressed her against the tree trunk, shielding her from the stones that were being hurled at her. "Witch!" someone shouted. Alexander wanted nothing more than to go after the people that had dared to throw stones at their queen, but one look down at the woman in his arms told him she was more important.

Elsa felt the blood trickle from her cheek and the bruise that was forming on her shoulder from the bigger stone. "Elsa?" he whispered, but she wasn't seeing him. It didn't matter what she did. She was never going to be good enough for the people. For every man that supported her, for every woman that smiled at her, there were five more that thought of her as a witch. "You shouldn't listen to them, Elsa," he told her.

With a shaking hand, Elsa reached up to touch the blood on her cheek. Alexander took her chin between his fingers and tilted her face up to reveal her countenance to the light. "Bastards," he grumbled when he saw the bruise that was blooming on one side of her face and the blood from the small puncture wound. But what was even worse than the physical wounds he saw were the tears that were welling up in her eyes. He released his grip on her face and wrapped his muscled arms around her, pulling her to his chest and tucking her face underneath his chin. He softly began stroking up and down her back. She shivered in his grasp after a few moments before she melted against his chest. Her arms were folded up between them, her hands underneath her chin. She twisted her hands around and grabbed his tunic, clinging tight to him. "Sh, Elsa," he whispered when she began sobbing. "You're safe. You're safe with me. I'm here." She needed to be strong; she knew that. She needed not to be effected by the hateful words and actions. She deserved them. She needed to appear strong and stoic and frozen.

But for the moment, what she needed most was to be held tight and promised a safe tomorrow.


	10. Chapter IX

**Author's Note: Enjoy! And review?**

* * *

**Chapter IX**

The woman was clearly distraught. Tears had flooded her eyes the moment that she realized that she'd been the target and Alexander felt helpless. He wrapped his arms around her, unsure what else he could do. Zoe had been so young when she'd been taken and since then, it had been only him and the boys. The women that were around him were those that were serving and those that were, were taking care of his brothers. They'd even draw blood from the girl. She was innocent; she'd done nothing to them. And yet, she was still the object of their animosity.

He felt her hands twist in the fabric at his chest, her tears falling from her lashes in a steady flow, the warmth dotting his shirtfront. Unsure what to do with the sobbing, trembling female in his grasp, he allowed his hand to slowly stroke up and down her back, feeling her vertebrae bump beneath his fingers. It didn't stop her tears, but it seemed to give her some comfort. He wished he could remember the lullaby his mother used to hum in his ear when he was upset. He wished he had something, _anything_, to make her feel better.

As the tears subsided, Elsa realized that she was clinging to the man like he was her safe haven in the storm. She had her face buried deep into the fabric of his shirt, her fingers curled tight just beneath her chin. Alexander's hands felt wonderful as they glided up and down her back. His shoulders were so much broader that hers, she noted, as her hunched them together to envelope her. "I made a mess of your shirt," she whispered, looking at the splotches in the blue fabric where her tears had soaked through. "I'm sorry."

Alexander knew a deflection when he saw one and knew immediately what she was trying to do. Elsa had lain a hand over one of the larger patches of darkened fabric. The young king slid his hand over hers and trapped the palm against his heart. "Are you okay?" he asked her instead of accepting her apology. "Let me see your face." He didn't give her a chance to say anything against him. He tipped her face to the moonlight again, this time cautiously inspecting the bruise. The color had darkened some, the center still white with dried blood crusted there. He gently ran his thumb over her cheek. She flinched involuntarily as the sharp pain jabbed her cheekbone. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I should've covered you sooner. I heard them coming." Elsa was shocked to hear him berating himself for being the hero that he was. It could've been so much worse; she was sure of that.

"We should go back inside," Elsa said, suddenly uncomfortable with the soft touch. "People will be looking for us."

"I don't think you want to go inside looking like that, Elsa," he warned, sliding his hand back down her cheek to twist it further to the light again.

"Do I look that terrible?" she asked him in a soft voice. Despite herself, he smiled and shook his head.

"You look beautiful." She balked, surprised by that statement. "But you have bruises on your face and you look like you've been crying. If I don't miss my guess, you're sister would be nosy enough that she'll want to know what happened."

"And your brothers wouldn't care if you came in with a bruise?" she teased.

"They would care; they just wouldn't say anything." And Elsa was sure that Anna lacked that particular quality. Anna would probably shout her name and twirl her around and demand to know what had happened in the loudest voice possible. Alexander pulled the handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at the blood on her cheek. "It'll be a nasty bruise," he muttered, his voice dripping with self hatred. "But the bleeding is pretty much stopped. It was only hard enough to break the skin." He words were methodical, but his voice was soft, tender. He wasn't treating her like she was an idiot. He used the same words that he would use with anyone else. But the way his voice lilted, the way the vibrations rumbled in her ears, made her feel safe and cherished. "Are you okay?" he said, noticing that Elsa was still silent.

"I don't understand," Elsa said. There was something about him that made her feel like she could talk to him, tell him the things that she didn't want to tell other people. "I don't understand why they all hate me. I do everything that I can to control myself, to keep my powers from getting out of control. And I get no where. I won't matter what I do or how hard I try. The people of Arendelle will always remember me as the witch that froze their home and made life unbearable for them."

"And there are many more that will remember you as the _queen _who was able to thaw everything, save her sister, and get rid of a snake that was in their midst," Alexander replied just as quietly.

"You were telling me about your sister," Elsa whispered, needing to get the conversation from herself. She straightened her spine and pulled away from him. Alexander was surprised by the overwhelming desire to grab her and crush her back against his chest. He clenched his fists and dug his nails into his palm, struggling to keep hold of the sudden urge to hold her. "You know that she's alive because they send you gifts?"

"If you could call them that," Alexander snarled, but he didn't pace like he wanted to. If those villagers came back around, he wanted to be right there to protect her from an assault. "The first one came a year after I came home. Zoe would've been ten, almost eleven at the time. They sent me the cape that she'd been wearing when she was taken. The next year, they sent me a letter from her, begging her to come and get her. I had men looking everywhere for her. Liam and Lucas even tried to figure out where the paper came from. But all they could do was find out that it was from a paper factory near Weselton. They're smart like that." Elsa watched him smile with pride for his siblings. "Every year, on the anniversary of the day that she was taken, they send us something. We haven't gotten a letter in five years or so. We get clothing or ribbons. One time, we got her ponytail sent to us. They chopped off all her hair; or most of it. We can't even be sure. It's been ten years. Zoe's hair could've grown long enough that it wasn't all of her hair. We don't know. But we do know that she's still alive. At least, she was five years ago. She called all of us by the nicknames she used to when she was a child. They have no reason to kill her. They need her as leverage. She'll be of a marriageable age soon. They could hurt her or ransom her. Once she turns seventeen, I'm sure they'll send us ransom.

"And then we'll attack. I'll get my sister back and then I will make every single guard at Weselton pay for the hell that they've inflicted on an innocent six-year-old child. They ripped her from her home, stole her from her family. And God only knows what they're doing to her now. They'll pay for it," he growled darkly.

"And Arendelle will help," Elsa said. "No one deserves to be forced away from their family." She may not have been stolen from hers, but Elsa knew what it was like to have to keep herself at an arm's length. "There's a back entrance to the castle, you know. We could slip inside and only a guard would be the wiser."

Alexander nodded, seeing the desperation to be alone written clearly on her face. He tucked hr hand into the crook of his arm once more and began to lead her from the garden, though in truth she was leading him. "I wish that there was some way that I could help you get to your sister sooner," she said softly as they walked through the maze that led to the entrance that Elsa had told him about.

"I was thinking," Alexander began in a quiet voice, "about what just happened with those villagers." Elsa turned her face away from him in embarrassment. "We are preparing to leave in the next week or so, Elsa. And since we're to be trading partners, it would make sense that you should get to check out your investment. Perhaps you could travel to the Southern Isles," he suggested.

"I don't think that's a good idea," she whispered. Alexander frowned, wondering what he had said that had scared her so desperately. "I, uh… I'm… I don't think that I would take a _boat_ by myself. I certainly couldn't make my sister travel with me."

Alexander silently cursed himself for forgetting about her parents' death. Obviously she didn't want to take a five day sailing journey to the Southern Isles. Especially not alone; she would have her guards and men to sail with, but it would be only her. "Travel with me," Alexander suggested. "Leave; get away from this place for a week or two. Come and see the Southern Isles. You can travel back with me and my brothers. You'll be safe." He grasped his jaw and turned her back to look at him. "You're safe with me, Elsa."

"I know."


	11. Chapter X

**Author's Note: Enjoy and review!**

* * *

**Chapter X**

It seemed strange to leave Arendelle; to leave her home. What Alexander was suggesting was terrifying…an exhilarating. To get away, to be somewhere where she could make a clean start; the people there would be wary of her, she was sure, but they wouldn't hate her. They had no reason to. "You really want to leave?" Anna asked her as Elsa was putting the last of her things in her trunk. "And you want to take a boat? Are you sure that this is a good idea, Elsa?" The hesitant look in Anna's eyes certainly wasn't.

"I'll be safe with Alexander and his brothers. He won't let anything happen to me," Elsa said with surety. She already had proof that he would do whatever he felt necessary to protect her, even if it meant taking the beating himself. Somehow, she was sure that she would be safe. Even if their boat capsized, she had a feeling that he would keep her safe, even if they were tossed into the ocean. "Besides, I'll only be gone a week or two. I just need to…to get away, Anna. I need a break from this," she said, twirling around with her arms out wide.

"Is this because of those villagers? Elsa, Kristoff's already told you that he'll figure out who they are and talk to them. I could talk to them, too," Anna said, desperate not to let her sister get on that boat. The last time that she'd seen someone off, having faith in their safety, they'd never come back. Elsa was the one family that she had left; she couldn't lose her sister. "You can be safe here, too, Elsa. Please stay." It wasn't the first time that Anna had tried that particular argument. As usual, it didn't work on her older sister.

"Guard, could you take this to the ship please?" she asked, pushing the trunk towards him. The man bowed, but there was a dark look in his eyes that said he wasn't happy about being asked to do something. "Thank you," she added when he hefted the trunk onto his shoulder. "I'm going on this trip, Anna. I will be safe and sound. I'll even write you a letter so you know that I'm having fun. Everything will be fine," she promised her again. Elsa crossed the small space between the two of them and pressed a kiss against her forehead. "Everything will be fine."

Anna walked her sister down to the docks and embraced her warmly, making her promise to be safe. Alexander waited by the plank for the queen to join him. He was more than a little excited to be heading home. Arendelle was nice, but he missed the smells of home, the view from his bedroom window, the sound of the young soldiers training late into the night. What was more, he was excited for Elsa to see his home, to see where he came from.

"You listen to me, mister," Anna said, poking him in the chest. Alexander fought the urge to smile at the eighteen-year-old who barely came up to the center of his chest. She was a small person, but a fierce warrior nonetheless. "If my sister comes back to me in anything less than perfect condition, you will answer to me." He couldn't stifle his smile this time. It wasn't as if she was any threat to him. He could just as easily pick her up and throw her. So he grabbed the hand that was trying to dig itself into his chest and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"I promise you, your sister will be safe with me," he said quietly, turning to find Elsa ready for the journey. He knuckles were whiter than the snow that she created, though, as she stared at the ship they were to sail back on. He squeezed Anna's hand to give her just a little more comfort before he turned back to Elsa. _She'll be safe with you, _Anna muttered to herself. _It's her heart I'm worried about._

Alexander pried Elsa's frigid hands from each other and forced her fingers straight. She looked at him with a hesitant smile, but he decided that he'd take it. He placed her hand in his arm, what he had now decided was a good spot for it. She felt right, nestled against his skin. "We're ready to go now. Did you say your goodbyes?" Elsa nodded, though he didn't like the fact that she hadn't said a word. From the time that he'd met her three week earlier, she'd at least _spoken_ to him. Even if she'd been distant and estranged, she'd always had something to say. He slid his hand over hers to trap it there. He watched her take a hesitant step onto the gangplank, her entire body trembling.

Elsa couldn't help her shaking and couldn't stop her fingers from digging into the fabric of his sleeve. "It's not nearly as terrifying as you're making it out to be," Alexander whispered into her ear. Using the narrow gangplank as an excuse, he gently pushed Elsa in front of him, keep his hand on her lower back to guide her onto the ship. "It'll take you a few hours to get your sea-legs," he told her when she wobbled with the sway of the deck.

"I'm not sure if this was such a good idea," Elsa said as she struggled to find her balance. Alexander threw his head back and guffawed at the terrified expression on her face. If he wanted her to feel safe, but babying her wasn't going to make her feel as if everything was fine. His plan was to goad her into comfort, to tease her until she felt that she was safe. He helped her to the railing, where she could wave to her sister and her friends. She kept her hand wrapped around his arm, but used the other hand to squeeze the railing and take advantage of the support it offered.

"If you don't smile, your sister is going to pull the boat to a stop by herself," Alexander warned, leaning down to her ear, but smiling at the crowd.

She pasted the smile on her face, but tightened her hold on his jacket. Alexander stayed with her until he was sure that the two of them would never see what he was about to do. Checking over his shoulder to make sure that his men weren't watching, he moved to stand behind Elsa. She stiffened as she felt his chest crowd her back. He placed his arms on either side of hers, effectively trapping her within his body. What she didn't know was that her rigid stance pressed her shoulder blades and hips into his. "Relax," he breathed into her ear, hoping to give her just a little bit of comfort.

Elsa kept herself stiff as a board, watching the boat cut through the water. She felt his heart thumping against her shoulder, the steady beat like a song she'd known for years. She felt herself begin to relax against him. The wind blew around her cloak and dress, but she didn't notice it. "As we head further south, it'll get chilly. The wind on the water will make you feel it even more so," Alexander said after an indefinable amount of time. "At least out here, your gloves will be perfectly acceptable."

"My gloves are always perfectly acceptable," she retorted. "They keep people safe from me and my powers."

"You act like you're some danger," he muttered, unhappy with the way that she referred to herself. He had never seen her powers, but he knew the girl. She was beautiful, kind, warm hearted, and a little terrified. He couldn't imagine that her powers were anything different than the girl herself. Elsa opened her mouth to explain how dangerous her powers could be when the boat hit a hard wave.

Elsa squealed as she was bounced off the deck. Alexander slid his arms around her and pinned her to his chest. The ocean sprayed them with mist as the boat settled back to the ocean. He kept her close to his body, probably longer than necessary. Elsa smiled brightly up at him, feeling giddy from the adrenaline and butterflies in her stomach. "See? It's not so terrifying," he said, laughing at her. She smiled and opened her mouth again, but this time the bile burned in her throat.

Clutching at the railing, she turned around and emptied her stomach over the edge. Alexander grabbed her braid and held it back, making sure that her vomit didn't get in her hair or on her dress. He wrapped an arm around her waist to make sure that she didn't go over the railing. She sagged against his chest when her stomach was finally empty, allowing him to support her weight. One of the crewmen laughed crudely and smiled at her, although Elsa noticed that he was missing most of his teeth. "Sea sick, lass? Looks like it's going to be a long sail."


	12. Chapter XI

**Author's Note: Most normal people have a bad day, eat some ice cream, curl up in a blanket and cry. I make lattes, grab the quilt my mom made me, and write until my fingers bleed. I'm only updating this story tonight. We'll start fresh with _Chivalry is Dead_ and _Lies_ on Monday. I could be tempted to post another chapter tonight if I got enough reviews. It's up to you. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XI**

Alexander helped Elsa down to her bunk in the ship's cabin shortly after her bout of illness passed through her. "That was very ladylike," she muttered into his chest as he herded her through the men that were working on various parts of the ship. He smiled at her, ignoring the looks that Liam and Lucas gave him as he headed below deck with her. "Please tell me that most people get over that after a few hours on a boat," she begged, praying she didn't have to vomit the entire trip.

"You'll get your sea-legs before the morning," he promised her. "You'll have to excuse our ship, but we weren't quite expecting that have a queen among us. We only have hammocks, Elsa." She'd never slept in a hammock, although she wasn't against the idea. "Dorsey moved everything stored in this room out to give you a little privacy. Your hammock is sturdy; Lucas rolled around in it to make sure that nothing would snap on you." He frowned when he realized that her trunk was missing from the room. Choosing not to worry her, he pushed the thought aside and helped her into the little sling.

She curled on her side, clutching the pillow to her chest and resting her cheek on her arm. The nerves and illness had finally eaten away at her. She fell asleep almost instantly, not even pulling the blanket over her shoulders before she drifted off. Alexander gently tucked the soft covering around her shoulders, and lingered. He told himself that she was asleep, that he shouldn't. After all, he had promised her that she could trust him. He told himself not to, but couldn't fight the urge. He softly brushed a strand of ice blonde hair from her cheek, feeling her skin slide like silk beneath his knuckle. He was shocked when she rolled over, causing the hammock to sway and shake as she followed his caress.

He jerked his hand away and stomped up the stairs, needing to leave her before he did something that would crumble the steadily growing trust. "Lucas, where is Elsa's trunk?" he demanded of Lucas when he saw his younger brother.

"I don't know; do I look like a guard or a sailor?" Lucas retorted, his voice a little off.

"No; you look like Liam," Alexander sighed. "You could just tell me when I'm not paying enough attention to realize which one of you I'm talking to." Liam beamed at his brother, no long pretending to be his twin.

"Did our tag-along queen get settled in her suite?" Lucas asked, appearing behind his twin.

"Apparently, our dear brother Alex lost her trunk," Liam said. The brothers were prone to teasing and jesting, but after hearing his twin's words, Lucas' face fell into a frown. "I know, I couldn't believe it either."

"No; I'm confused. I saw a guard carrying it out of her room earlier, when we were getting ready to cast off," Lucas said seriously. "If it was delivered to our men, you know that it would've made it to the ship. They would never be so careless." Alexander nodded his agreement. "You don't think one of her men would have purposely lost her trunk, do you? I mean, he was one of her guards. It would make no sense for them to sabotage her. Besides, taking her trunk only makes it so that we have to find clothing for her at home."

"Maybe her trunk isn't gone," Liam suggested. "One of the men could've thought that it was ours and stored it below. I could look for it."

"Do that," Alexander agreed. "I'll meet with Dorsey before I go to sleep. I'll take the night watch tonight." Liam nodded and turned on his heel, Lucas just behind him. There was no need for _two_ men to go in search of the queen's trunk, but there were no jobs to be done on deck, so Alexander didn't see a reason to confine Lucas to the deck.

"The two of them are just as troublesome as always," Dorsey said when Alexander took the short staircase to the wheel. Dorsey was an old Scotsman who'd been with the family for years. When Alexander had been a child, he'd thought of the man as a pirate. After all, he did have the peg leg and eyepatch to show for it. In fact, it was his peg leg and eyepatch that had gotten him discharged from the navy, but Alexander's parents had been able to see the man leave for Scotland. Instead, they'd hired him as their private captain when they went on family trips or made small trips around their homes. "You seem troubled, lad," Dorsey said, not taking his eyes from the sails.

"Do I?"

"Aye; this wouldn't have anything to do with a certain blonde lass slumbering below deck, would it?" Dorsey asked. After the king and queen had died, Dorsey had forced himself upon Alexander. The boy had barely been a man when he'd lost his parents and needed the guidance that only age could bring. A decade later, the young king didn't even realize how much he relied on Dorsey. Dorsey, in turn, knew how to read his almost-son and relied on the boy for nearly everything.

"What does Queen Elsa have to do with any of this?" Alexander demanded, agitated by the fact that the old man could see how much he was growing to care about the girl.

"Och, laddie; don't treat me as if I'm brainless," Dorsey said, using his walking stick to thwack Alexander in the backs of his knees. "I may be a wee bit old, but I'm not blind just yet." Alexander glared at him as he leaned down to rub his legs. "She may be little more than a slip of a lass, but she's a bonnie thing to behold. I would not begrudge you a wife at this time in your life. You've been alone a long time, lad."

"I'm not alone. I have my brothers," Alexander retorted.

"Aye, you have your brothers. But brothers don't keep your bed warm for you, laddie. They're not there with a kiss goodnight and a hug when your world seems to be crumbling. Besides, the way the crew tells it, she's had a hard life, been forced to grow up. It would seem to me she's just the right lass for you." Alexander just rolled his eyes and looked away. "You deserve some happiness, Alexander."

"No; not yet," Alexander said almost to himself.

"Not until you've found Zoe; I know. I've heard it a million times," Dorsey said, clapping his hand down on the younger man's shoulder. "I doubt your sister would be upset to come home and find her oldest brother in love and married."

"I am _not_ in love, Dorsey. I am the king, though; you'd do well to remember it," Alexander grumbled as he thudded down the stairs.

"You say the same thing every time I get you on something you don't want to think about, lad," Dorsey called after him, chuckling to himself. "Moira wants you lads for dinner next week. You should bring Lady Elsa!" Alexander didn't respond, just continued down the gangway to his bunk.

He could hear his brothers thumping around on the level below him, but ignored them as he flopped down into his own hammock. Moira and Dorsey were the closest people to parents that he had. Folding an arm beneath his head, he thought fondly on the dinner that would await him. Elsa might enjoy it. Moira McDonald had a way of making everyone around her feel like her child, like she'd raised them from birth. Elsa had lost her parents years ago. It was possible she needed a person like Moira, someone to mother her if only for a few days. Alexander closed his eyes and commanded himself to sleep before the night watch.

Elsa swung easily in her hammock, opening her eyes to a flat ceiling of planked wood. She'd heard footsteps on the deck above her that had startled her awake and more footsteps pounding down the hallway. She was sure that she would get used to the sounds as the days aboard the ship wore on. She fought with the hammock, caught in the fabric for a few moments until she flopped like a fish onto the floor, groaning as she crashed down.

A rapping on the door came almost immediately afterwards, surprising Elsa with its quickness. "Queen Elsa, are you all right?" a voice asked her.

She pushed herself to her feet and answered the door, one of Alexander's brothers standing before her. "Prince Lucas, right?" Liam smiled at the queen, noting her rumpled appearance and the hair sticking up in its braid.

"I'm Liam, Your Highness. Just Liam, if you would," he replied. "I heard a clap. Are you all right, Your Highness?"

"Elsa, if you would," she parroted. Liam smiled at her. "I had a minor skirmish with my…bed. It was rather reluctant to let me go." Liam's grin widened at her turn of phrase. "Liam, there are more than a dozen of you princes in the Southern Isles, aren't there?" she asked him.

"Yes."

"Could you… Would you and your brother be willing to help me?"

"Of course, Your—Elsa. With what?"

"I want to know names, ages, hobbies, likes, dislikes. And something tells me that only a Prince of the Southern Isles can help me in that endeavor."


	13. Chapter XII

**Author's Note: I've decided that I'm just going to keep writing until I fall asleep or my problems disappear. I'm going to guess for the former. Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XII**

Elsa was hunched around the small table that Liam and Lucas had dragged into the center of the deck, seated uncomfortably on a barrel that the brothers had brought out as well. She couldn't remember the last time that she'd laughed so hard in all her life. The two of them were hysterical, constantly at each others' throats. But she got the sense that they would defend each other to the place beyond death. "Okay, so you two are the oldest of the younger brothers?" she asked. Lucas smiled and nodded, taking the piece of paper from his twin and drawing the line.

"Alexander is the oldest; he's twenty-six," Lucas said, scribbling his brother's name on the paper.

"Old man," Liam muttered.

"Then there's the two of us; we're twenty-five."

"Which makes you two _not_ old?" Elsa guessed.

"Lucas is old; I am not," Liam said, placing his hand delicately on his chest. "I'm the younger brother."

"You're three minutes younger, you big goof." Lucas jutted his leg out and kicked the barrel from beneath his twin, sending Liam tumbling to the ground. "As the saying goes, age before brains."

"I believe it's age before beauty," Liam muttered as he scrubbed his abused backside and picked up his barrel once again. "Anyways, after the two of us, you've Klaus. He's twenty-four and a _complete_ control freak." Elsa smiled at their description of him. "Then, our mother had to push the imps to the world: Nicholas and Noah. Those two are the biggest pranksters that you will ever have the misfortune to meet."

While Liam was talking, Lucas was scribbling, his writing so small that Elsa almost couldn't read it. "Nick and Noah are twenty-two. Eleven months after them is Sebastian," Lucas continued for his brother. "At the moment, he's the same age as Nick and Noah." Elsa nodded, soaking the information like a sponge. "Next are Tobias and Elias. I think our mother ran out of names that started with the same letter. They're twenty-one." She nodded again. "And after that, she had the triplets."

"You forget Christian, idiot!" Liam cut in. "You wait until I tell him. He'll shoot an arrow into your arse so quickly, you won't be able to stop it with that sword of yours."

"So Christian is an archer?" Elsa guessed.

"Aye, and he's twenty," Liam said. "_After_ Christian, our mother had the triplets: Oliver, Jonas, and Hans. They're all three nineteen now."

"Sounds like your mother was never _not_ pregnant," Elsa muttered, but she didn't say anything about Zoe. Alexander had told her that his parents had died a decade ago. The triplets would've been nine at the time and Zoe had been six when she'd been kidnapped. That mean that there was a three year gap between the births. At least the woman had had some kind of break. It appeared that she never had more than a few months between pregnancies. "Were any of you ill?"

"I mean, Nicholas, Noah, Klaus, and Christian were scrawny little things. But our mother was strong," he said with a smile. "She died when she was only forty."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Elsa whispered. "My mother was only thirty-six when she died. Their…their boat capsized."

"That would be why Alexander said you were so hesitant about sailing," Lucas said, nodding slowly as understanding passed through his brain. Elsa looked away and nodded, watching the waves sway and swirl. "Here," Lucas said, deciding that it was best to pull her attention away from the water. "A cheat sheet of sorts. At least this way you can keep us straight in your head until you can put a face to the name." Elsa took the piece of paper in her gloved hands, looking down at the elegant handwriting on the page. Alexander hadn't been lying when he'd said he'd hired the best of the best for his brothers. He may have been absent from their lives for four years, but he was still caring for them even then. "Could we request something of you, Queen Elsa?" Lucas asked, looking nervously at his brother.

"Only if you will cease calling me _Queen_ Elsa," she replied. "Titles are hardly conducive to a friendship." The two men smiled at her. "You're question?" she asked, smiling at them and waiting for the jokesters to make their request of her.

"Could we see your powers, Elsa?" Liam asked quietly. "We're curious. Other than that day on the training fields, we've seen nothing of them."

"They're dangerous," Elsa replied just as softly. "I've nearly killed my sister. Twice. I've frozen a whole kingdom." Both of the boys looked disheartened. "I suppose a _small_ show wouldn't be remiss," she finally said, if only to see the carefree smile on their matching faces.

Tucking her lip between her teeth, she slowly began to peel her gloves from her fingers. She could practically feel the powers sparking in her palms as she pulled them free. Her anxiety turned to deception as she thought about how to sell her powers. Feeling devious, she rubbed her hands together as if she was warming then. The twins weren't the only ones watching her with rapt attention. More than half the crew had stopped to stare at her. She held the heel of one hand to her lips, curling her fingers upwards and letting a puff of air escape her lips.

The snow flurried from her fingers instantly, heading straight towards the sky and exploding in the burst that she intended. Despite the summer heat, the snow fell from the sky at a steady pace while she watched it. "No harm in that," she said softly, relishing the feel of her powers coursing through her veins. Liam and Lucas were the first to break from the trance and start applauding the young woman before them. Everything about her had changed in an instant.

From the moment that she'd made the choice to show them her abilities, her entire countenance had changed. Her blue eyes had gone from cautiously amused to vibrant and alive. They were sparkling and gorgeous as she rubbed her hands together, devious as she unfurled her fingers and blew the snow into existence. Even as she watched the snowflakes fall, her face was serene and happy. She was stunning as she sat there, her hands folded demurely in her lap. "Do we get to see more?" Lucas dared to ask. Elsa began shaking her head when the man began to beg.

Feeling a little bolder, Elsa thought about what she could for the boys that would make them happy. "Come with me," she said softly, taking them to the edge of the boat. Her cheeks heated as she remembered the feeling of Alexander's arms and chest surrounding her, the citrus and sea-air scent of him that had swirled around her nose as he'd held her so tenderly, the soft stroke of his hand on her back as she'd emptied her stomach over the boat. Pushing the feelings and memories aside, she looked at the wake created by the water they were cutting through. "Let's go this way," she said. "Come on." She trotted gleefully down the deck to the backend of the boat, giving the boys a different side of her. They'd never seen her so carefree.

She threw her her hands in front of her to create a straight shoot of ice in the wake of the boat, watching the beautiful ice form. The snowflake shape formed in the midst of all the ice, smooth and sleek. The shape cracked and wiggled free from the other ice. Waving her hand over it, Elsa melted the rest of the ice and beckoned the snowflake to follow them. She shoved it aside and let it melt. The boys watched her carefree nature melt away with the ice that she'd created. "I hurt a lot of people using my powers," she said softly, as if she was thinking it aloud instead of speaking to others. "Little things like this can get out of hand."

"It's beautiful, Elsa," Lucas said softly. "What you do is truly stunning and beautiful." Liam nodded his agreement.

"Beautiful, but dangerous," she said, making her polite smile freeze on her cheeks. "When I hurt my sister when I was six, the trolls saved her. They warned me that fear would be my enemy and be my demise. It was my fear that caused the Freeze," she explained. "I'm not afraid of my powers anymore. But I'm aware of them, of what I can do. Things like that, like what I showed you, they're harmless. The Freeze, though, will always be a reminder of what could happen if I'm not careful."

She turned around and started back to the table, stooping to gather her gloves. She yanked them on furiously, desperate to conceal the parts of her that were most dangerous. "So," she said, struggling to regain a regal air and stuff down the feelings in her hair. "What is it that you do for fun aboard a ship?"


	14. Chapter XIII

**Author's Note: I'm sure y'all have gotten the gist from the author's note. Review, please!**

* * *

**Chapter XIII**

Alexander opened his eyes and stared at the familiar ceiling of his ship. His father had once joked that the sea was in his blood, that he was born to sail. Everyone knew that he was born to be anything but a king. He could be a leader; he could inspire loyalty; he could make decisions. It just wasn't his usual nature. He was a warrior; he was meant to protect and survive. It was hardwired into his brain. It was a compulsive need to protect and defend. He could never explain it.

"Can I go to bed now?" Liam asked him. Alexander's lips twitched at the words. He remembered Oliver, Jonas, and Hans asking him the same question when they'd been twelve-years-old. Alexander knew that he couldn't teach them reading, writing, arithmetic, or politics. But he could teach them war. He could instruct them in how to be good soldiers. He'd taken it upon himself to do so from the moment that he'd returned. He remembered making his younger brothers take patrols at his side while he tried to figure out who they were and how to raise them. Six years later, and they still asked him the same question.

"Yeah, yeah; go to bed," Alexander grumbled, pushing himself out of his hammock. Having given a hammock to Elsa, they were now one bunk short. The three brothers shared a room with Dorsey and his first mate, Garth, but there were only four hammocks hanging. One man needed to always be on patrol or there would be no bed for the fifth man. "Did anything interesting happen while I was asleep?" Alexander asked in a hushed voice as he scrubbed the vestiges of sleep from his eyes.

"We gave Elsa a list of the princes; she's worried about not knowing who they all are when we get home." Alexander snorted and stretched, feeling the vertebrae in his spine pop and crack to relieve their stiffness. "Dorsey told some embarrassing childhood stories. Elsa used her powers. Garth asked her to dance—"

"Elsa used her powers?" Alexander interrupted, realizing what it was that he'd heard. "More than just to stop me from pummeling some little brat who didn't deserve the effort she expended protecting him?"

"She made it snow for a few moments. And then she made this trail of ice behind the boat and made a snowflake, like a _giant_ snowflake out of it. It floated behind us for a few minutes, then she made it disappear," he explained. "I guess, technically, she made it melt. But it was cool nonetheless."

"Twenty-five-years-old and the best word that you can come up with is _cool_," Alexander muttered as he donned the water of his two shirts and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Get some sleep, little brother. We'll be home before you know it."

Alexander took the steps to the deck two at a time, anxious to feel the fresh sea breeze across his face. The moonlight played across the ocean, shining like a bright light on the wood of the deck. The night air was cold, but still welcoming. The world around him was consumed with the soft sound of the waves crashing against each other and the rocks, the soft sway of the boat against the water as the glided towards the Southern Isles. Bracing his feet wide enough to balance with the sway of the ocean, Alexander surveyed the surrounding waters. He didn't expect to see anything around him. There weren't many pirate vessels this far north, especially not with winter around the corner.

A small beacon of light sat a few feet away from the ship. He frowned and pulled the scope rom it's spot by the wheel, quickly peaking through the lens. An icecap floated, bobbing with the water. White blonde hair glimmered in the moonlight. He was sure that if he looked closer, he would see her bright blue eyes staring at the stars. "Elsa!" he screamed as the current pulled her icecap farther and farther from the boat. "Elsa!" he tried again, but she must not have been able to hear him over the roar of the waves and the wind that was blowing his skip farther away.

"God bless it," he muttered as he stripped out of his shirt and lunged over the railing. The water was freezing, but not nearly as cold as it would be if it had been later in winter. Strong, steady strokes pulled him through the water swiftly. "Elsa!" he shouted when he finally stopped fighting against the current. The icecap drifted closer. Alexander gripped the edge, causing the ice to bob a little more significantly.

Spikes of ice jabbed straight at him, though none of them actually hit him. They spread out from her in a half circle. "Alexander?" she said in a quiet voice. The spikes melted instantly as Elsa rushed forward and grabbed his shoulder to haul him onto the ice beside her. "What are you doing out here? Did you—did you swim out here? What were you _thinking_?" she chastised. Alexander would've laughed if his teeth hadn't been chattering from the brief, bone chilling swim.

"What were you thinking being out here by yourself?" Alexander retorted. "Now we're adrift on a damn icecap and there's no way to get back to the boat."

"I just needed to be alone for a moment," she whispered, feeling guilty for having snuck off. "I was trying to sleep, but I couldn't. All I could hear were the waves crashing against the boat. It didn't matter how hard I tried not to, I couldn't stop the nightmare." Alexander's frustration at her reckless behavior dissolved at her admission of a nightmare. "I can get us back to the ship. Come on," she said when he was about to question her on her nightmare. There was an ease about her as she thrust a hand forward.

The ice and snow practically jetted from her fingertips, creating a small pathway that led all the way back to the ship. Alexander was awed by her ease and control, especially when she claimed to fear her powers so desperately. "We should hurry," she whispered, breaking into his thoughts. "You're going to catch your death out here. You shouldn't have jumped in after me. I was coming back once I had cleared my head." She crossed her arms over her chest and started across the small bridge that she'd created. "I'm sorry if I'm causing trouble."

"You're no trouble, Elsa," Alexander replied, frustrated that he had let something slip on his face. It was the only way she would've known that he was agitated. It had nothing to do with her; it had to do with the cold chilling his bones. Which, of course, he couldn't tell her because she would think that it was her fault. _Technically, _he reminded himself, _it is._ "Are you sure that this is safe?" Alexander asked her as she strode with confidence across the ice. She sent him a smile over her shoulder and nodded. "How do you do this?" he asked her, taking a more confident step.

Elsa shrugged, tucking a stray strand behind her ear. "It, uh, it just happens. The first time that I remember it, I was three and a half. Anna had just been born; well, not _just_. She was five months old and it was October. My favorite time of the year had always been winter. My mother used to say that I spent more time in the snow than I did in the castle. The poor guards and nannies who used to have to watch me. I ran around every inch of Arendelle in the winter." She smiled wistfully, remembering the happier days. "Anyways, Anna was five months old. My father said that I told him I was sad that Anna had never seen the snow and that she still had to wait for it to come back. He said I threw my hands in the air and spun around. I remember spinning and then I remember the snow starting."

"Just like that? There were no earlier signs?" Alexander asked.

"None that I remember," she whispered. "My mother used to say that she knew it from the start. I mean, this was back when we talked about my powers. After Anna's accident, the only time that we talked about my powers were in lectures. _Conceal it; don't feel it. Don't let it know._ That's what my dad used to say."

"How did your mother know it from the start?" he asked, needing to deal with the other comment when he had more time.

"She said it was my hair. My mother had dark hair and, until he got old, my father was strawberry blonde. I was born with white hair. Mom said there were legends about it. She knew that I had something special. I just wish that she and my father were around to see that I learned to control it to some extent," she admitted. They had finally caught up to the boat, though Elsa had needed to create more of a path. Alexander reached for one of the ropes, but Elsa's hand on his arm stopped him. She pushed her hands in front of her and fashioned a staircase, the particles of ice clinging to it. Once her foot was on the first stair, the ice began to smooth. When she touched both railings, the entire staircase leading to the boat and deck smoothed out. "Come on; this will be faster than climbing up that rope."

"You're incredible," he breathed as they took the stairs back to the deck. Elsa's lips twitched at the compliment and he was fairly certain that she muttered 'thank you,' but she didn't stop.

"You should go change before you fall ill," she said, turning back to the ocean. She waved her hands in front of her in one wide sweeping motion. Alexander watched the ice and snow melt.

"You have to be tired," he said. "I know that it's been a stressful day for you. I'm sure that you're tired." Elsa looked up at the stairs and the moon, the light caressing the smooth wood of the boat.

"My sister used to crawl into bed beside me every _single_ night until her accident," she said. "_The sky's awake; so I'm awake_," she muttered, turning to smile at Alexander. "Go and change, Alexander. I guarantee you I'll be awake."

"And on this boat," he demanded.

She gave him a real smile. "And on the boat."


	15. Chapter XIV

**Author's Note: Something big planned for next chapter. If you want it tonight, reviews can be very enticing. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XIV**

Alexander changed into clean, _dry_ clothing as quickly as was possible. He was anxious to spend any amount of time with Elsa, which surprised him. He shouldn't feel the need to be with her so desperately, but it was there. He crossed over the deck to the wheel, though he didn't much need to be there. The current would naturally carry them towards the Southern Isles. He scanned the deck for the shimmering hair that could only belong to one woman, but didn't see it. "Elsa? You promised that you'd be on the boat, remember?" he teased.

He took the stairs to the steering apparatus, frowning that Elsa had just disappeared. "How did you disappear?" he asked, more to himself than to the woman who'd disappeared. "Elsa?" A grumbling noise came from the ground, just beside his feet. Elsa had curled up on the ground in front of the wheel, her knees tucked up against her chest. She wasn't shivering, but the air was cold and Alexander was sure that it wouldn't take long before she grew too chilled. "Elsa, come on. You'll catch your death out here," he said, gently shaking her shoulders and throwing her words in her face.

She grumbled under her breath and slapped his hand away when he reached for her, attempting to slide his arms underneath her petite frame. Elsa thrashed, pulling away from his embrace. "Troublesome imp," he muttered this time, but Elsa continued to scoot away from his arms every time he tried to bring her closer. "An hour or so sleeping on the deck won't hurt," he decided, taking a blanket that he'd brought for himself and draping it over the woman again. "The sky may be awake, Queen Elsa, but you're not," he whispered softly.

For a while, Alexander stood over the ship doing nothing but watching the moon on the horizon. Perhaps Dorsey was right. Maybe it was time for him to marry and start a family. He was getting older. Most of the boys he'd grown up with in the keep were married with young children. Technically, he needed to provide his country with an heir, much as he didn't want to be king. He'd just never felt pressured to marry and have kids. If he didn't have an heir, one of his brothers would just take over. Preferably, Klaus.

No; he couldn't marry. There were times that he was gone for three, four, _ten_ months, searching for his sister. He spent months crawling through Weselton, hoping to find some way to infiltrate the main castle undetected and get to Zoe. If he had a wife, children, a _family_, he couldn't justify it. It was one thing to leave his brothers, all of whom were men, alone while he traipsed across the world to find their sister. It was something completely different to leave behind a wife and children. No; one day he would have Zoe back and when he was certain that every responsible party in Weselton had paid, he could settle down.

Elsa began to roll around before his feet, her frustration obvious and mounting. She mumbled something under her breath, but there was a desperation to her twists that bit at his stomach. "I can't!" she screamed, sitting upright and gripping the wood beneath her palms. The ice crystals formed on the wood; Elsa's chest heaved with exertion and fear. She knew a brief moment of relief that she could control her powers enough to force the protective barrier of ice to melt while she let the nightmare work its way through her.

"Elsa?" She wanted to cry at the soft voice that entreated her to talk to him, to say anything. The dream had been too real. For some reason, she was an adult, but standing in the ballroom with three-year-old Anna. Her baby sister was curled up on the snow covered tile floor, the streak of her hair white as Elsa's. Her parents sprinted down to the ballroom, sliding to a stop.

_"You have to fix it, Elsa. You have to fix it!"_ her father begged her. Elsa shook her head, holding her hands tight to her chest. _"Fix it!"_ Everyone was screaming at her. Her parents, Anna, her people, even Alexander and his brothers were asking her to fix their relationship with Hans. She tried to tell them all that she couldn't fix it. She didn't know. She couldn't stop her powers from controlling everything and overrunning her life. It was why she didn't want to use them. She may have more control over them now, but she would never be able to _fix_ all the things that she'd done wrong. The white streak in Elsa's hair was proof of that.

"Elsa? Elsa, look at me," he whispered, his hands closing around her shoulders as he crouched in front of her. "Are you all right, Elsa?" he asked her. She swallowed convulsively, but nodded. "Another bad dream?" he asked her. She nodded again. Alexander was momentarily lost, trig to figure out what he should do for the woman in his arms. Part of him, the baser part of himself, wanted to wrap her in his arms and hold her tight until whatever storm she was undergoing passed through. The strategist in him realized just how weak she was sitting before him. He could probably get her to agree to anything if he tried.

And he didn't want to do that.

Strange as it was, there was a compulsive desire to protect Elsa that had existed from the moment that he'd met her. He'd thought at first that it had something to do with Hans. Hans had hurt the young queen in every way possible, chained her up like a prisoner in her own castle, deceived her sister, nearly gotten the princess killed, forced the queen to exile. At first, he'd thought that he was protective of her because it was the only way that he could fix the wrong that his brother had done. Now, all these weeks later, he knew that he'd been fooling himself. There was something about Elsa that screamed regality and strength with she was with other people. But when she was alone, when she wasn't in control any longer, he could see that she was scared and alone. When she was alone, the hoarfrost around her heart slowly melted a little and revealed the fear that was hiding there.

"Come with me," he said, realizing that he'd been staring at her for too long. He gently pulled on her arms until she was standing before her, the top of her head just barely reaching his chin. He tugged her insistently towards the bow of the boat, lying down on his back and patting the wood beside him. She didn't say anything to him, but her eyes spoke volumes. "Come on," he said again, thunking his palm against the wood. She slowly laid down on the wood beside him, placing her hands on her stomach as she stared up at the sky. "You and your sister spend a lot of time looking at the sky?" he asked her. Elsa just shrugged, still feeling vulnerable from her dream. "Maybe you could show her something new next time."

"Like what?"

Cheered that she was speaking, Alexander smiled and lifted his hand to point out the stars overhead. "Those stars right there, they're aquarius. See? That makes up the gourd that pours the water and he's leaning back in the sky. And that one over there…" Elsa followed the steady stream of his words, her heartbeat calming to the point where she could no longer feeling it thumping in her ears. She followed his hand with his eyes. She knew that he was pointing something out for her, but she didn't hear.

She rolled onto her side, looking up still. Alexander pretended that he didn't feel her move or shiver. He extended the arm closest to her, surprised when Elsa shifted to curl herself against his side and pillow her head on his bicep. "That's the pisces; the two fish," Alexander continued, undaunted. "The Greeks say monster Typhon attacked Mount Olympus and threatened all the gods and goddesses. The goddess of Aphrodite needed to escape with her son Eros; they turned into two fish, swam away until they met up with two more, and they were brought to safety. The fish that saved them were given a place of honor in the heavens by the goddess of beauty."

Elsa yawned and rested her hand on his chest, more asleep than awake. Alexander curled his arm around her waist. "You make this so hard, Elsa," he told her softly, feeling the heavy fabric of her skirt over his leg. "I have to go and save Zoe." He turned his attention to the sky again, looking up at the twinkling stars that seemed to know exactly what was running through his thoughts. Elsa slid her hand over his chest, as if she could hold him tight and never let him go. A breeze blew across the deck, the stars seeming to shine a little brighter. "Oh, shut up," he grumbled at the heavens.


	16. Chapter XV

**Author's Note: Ask and ye shall receive. You all surprise me with the number of reviews that I get when you're all excited. As long as I'm not busy, all that it takes is six reviews to entice me. You guys are _incredible_! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XV**

For the next four nights, Alexander brought Elsa on the deck after her nightmares. They changed every night, at least from what he could tell from her mumblings. When she started whining loud enough to be heard, Alexander took the stairs three at a time and woke her. She always trembled and shook for a while, but by the time he finished telling her about the next constellation in the sky, she was always asleep. He dozed every once in a while, when the winds and waters were calm. He'd never experienced a pleasure as great as waking up, turning his face, and seeing Elsa tucked into his chest.

During the day, she entertained herself with the crew and his brothers. She ate gruel with the men and listened to the stories, many of which revolved around Alexander and his mishaps as a child. Dorsey taught her how to steer the ship, how to decide when the orders that needed to be called were to be done. Liam and Lucas taught her the traditional dance for court in the Southern Isles. She learned the traditional songs and dances. Her days were different; every morning a new adventure awaited her. She even spent a day hunting for her missing trunk, not that she ever found it. Instead, she was forced to make her own dresses. But the nights were always the same. The nights, she was always alone with Alexander.

On the morning of the fifth day, Alexander found himself loath to wake the girl and bring her back to her hammock. The steady thud of Dorsey's leg against the deck as he walked. I sighed, knowing he was going to have to wake her up before the old man saw them. Not that Dorsey would say anything to the crew or the guards or even to his brothers. It would be the quiet glances that he would get and the not-so-subtle statements Dorsey would make during the day. Not to mention how the man would tease Elsa, though she wouldn't even know what he was talking about. "Elsa," he said begrudgingly. "Elsa, you have to wake up before the men get up. The cook will be starting breakfast soon." She groaned and scrubbed her cheek against his tunic. "Come on, stubborn girl. It would hardly be queenly to be cot sleeping on the deck with the king."

"I don't want to be the queen," she grumbled.

"Unfortunately, we don't always have a say in those things, Elsa. Wake up." Her lids fluttered and lifted, revealing the most beautiful blue eyes that he'd ever seen. "I have something that I want to show you," he said, helping her sit and then extending a hand to her when he was standing.

"Wake up, Elsa. Get up, Elsa. Pretend that you're cognizant enough to be shown another set of stars when really, you just want to sleep," she muttered. Alexander smiled at the sarcasm that laced her tone.

"No stars this time," he said with a laugh. "Something that I know even better than the constellations." He dragged her over to the starboard side. As Alexander had promised, she'd gotten her sea-legs after only a few hours that first day. Now she felt comfortable on the deck, even while she was plagued by dreams of her parents' death, of them pleading with her to save them. She folded her forearms on the flat of the railing, leaning forward over the edge of the boat. "Those are the Southern Isles," Alexander said, pointing to the expanse of land on the horizon. "That's my home."

Elsa looked over the land, the smalls hills in the distance. As they got closer to the docks, she could hear men shouting out orders, hear Dorsey calling out for the crew the make things ready for their docking. The dock was bustling with activity. She could see a marketplace just beyond the sailors working places, smell the distinctly fishy scent. Everything in front of her was so wonderfully unfamiliar. Here, the people that would judge her were only going off of rumors. Here, she hadn't hurt anyone. Here, she knew that she would be safe. "You should get yourself ready, lass," Dorsey commanded. She nodded and took herself below deck.

The dress she created was the same color as always. Ice blue. The ice fabric hung off of her shoulders and flowed loosely down her arms. The bodice of her gown was tight, fitted and hugging every curve. It flared at her hips, the fabric drifting to the ground in a flurry of skirts, the snowy fabric almost translucent, save the snowflakes that were frozen into the bottom of the dress, from below her knees. She pulled on the same blue gloves that she always wore, protecting everyone else from the powers and climbing back up to the deck.

"No," Alexander said the moment she caught his eye. She was truly breathtaking. She left her hair mostly loose, with the exception of the hair around her face. She frowned at the terse tone he used with her and threaded her fingers together. "You're not wearing the gloves, Elsa." She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked one eyebrow.

"Is that a decree from the King of the Southern Isles?" she asked him.

"No; a request from a friend," he retorted. "You're not a danger to anyone, Elsa. I know it and, whether you want to admit it or not, so do you. Take them off. You don't need them." He grasped her wrist between his fingers, deftly noting that her bones were so petite, his fingers overlapped as he encompassed her wrist and pulled the fingers free from fabric. "You know how to control it. I know that you won't hurt anyone. You'll be more comfortable without them." He removed the other glove as well and smiled at the disgruntled expression on her face. "Come on; home awaits."

He took her hand and placed it on his arm as the gangplank was laid out for the two of them to disembark the boat. Elsa thought that she would relish the feel of hard, solid land beneath her feet. She hadn't realized that the boat had swayed constantly with the rolling waves. Her first step onto the boardwalk, her knees buckled. If not for Alexander's tight hold on her, she would've crumpled. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me that I have to get my land legs now," she grumbled. "If I throw up again, I promise you that I'll never get on a boat again."

"Well, then you'd be stuck with me in the Southern Isles," Alexander said. Elsa rolled her eyes, but in truth the idea of being stuck with him wasn't all that terrifying. He pulled her close to his side and walked her down the wooden boardwalk to the cobblestone streets of the city. "I thought that we might walk back. I know that we've had more than enough fresh air over the last week, but trust me when I tell you that you won't want to be cooped up in a castle.

"What is it that you're wanting to do?" she asked him.

"Well, you look so beautiful and the sun is shining nice a bright. The villagers are throwing their welcome celebration since we've returned. Music, dancing, food, wine, it's all there. My brothers are probably there too," he said.

"Sounds fun," she said, giving him a shy smile. "Surely, you'll want to meet with your brothers first."

"They're anxiously awaiting our arrival. See." He pointed to a group of men of the same stature and build, similar hair color. They stood like soldiers, broad shoulders with hand behind their backs and legs braced apart. "Elsa, these are my brothers: Klaus, Nicholas, Noah, Sebastian, Tobias, Elias, Christian, Oliver and Jonas." As he said each man's name, the brother stepped forward and bowed. "Boys, this is Queen Elsa of Arendelle." She smiled at them all and gave a shy smile to the brothers.

The world erupted into chaos, then. The brothers stepped forward to embrace each other. There was laughter and shouting as the boys slapped each other on the back and smiled at one another. One of the boys, she assumed on of the youngest by the boy-like looks that were only just fleeing smiled at her and shook her hand adamantly. "I'm Oliver; my friends call me Ollie." Elsa nodded and absorbed the information. "Don't even try, Queen Elsa. It will take you at least six days to get us all straight, trust me."

"Well, fortunately, there aren't quite so many of me. Please call me Elsa, not _Queen_ Elsa. I'm not the biggest fan of titles," she said, shaking the man's hand. It was strange to feel someone's skin in her palm. She'd tried to get used to it, especially with Alexander, but she still worried about what she would do to them if she lost control. "There certainly are several of you."

"There are," another brother agreed, stepping forward and extending a hand. "Tobias, Your Highness. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"She's much like Alexander, Tobias. She despises titles."

"Well, then she'll love the traditions in place for the day," another brother said. Alexander watched her face grow a bit paler as she was bombarded with brothers.

"Let her be, boys," he said sternly, grabbing Elsa's elbow and feeling her relax against his side. "Come, Elsa. We've a celebration to attend."

The celebration began with dancing. The music was lively and loud, ringing in her ears. She received no strange looks or hateful words from the men around her. She was never without a partner, but her partner was always a prince. "When the music stops, tradition states that the man kisses the partner in his arms," Elias told her.

"What?" she asked, her blooding roaring in her ears.

"It's a strange tradition, but a tradition nonetheless. Switch!" he called out.

Elsa found herself spun around and twirled, the space around her turning and turning until she came up against Alexander's solid chest. Alexander had glared and growled at each of his brothers when they tried to capture Elsa in her twisting. He knew the tradition and was determined that he would dance the final dance with her. "Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked her, taking in the bright smile on her face and sunshine glow in her eyes. She nodded, bouncing around joyously with him.

"Do you always dance this much?" she asked him as he spun her back to his chest.

"There's always something to celebrate, Elsa," he said. "My sister may be gone, but she's still alive. My brothers lost their parents and yet we thrive. You survived your first excursion on a boat, despite the nightmares and seasickness. There's much to celebrate."

The music stopped suddenly, the people around them jerking to a stop, laughter erupting all around them. "At the moment, I think I'll celebrate that I'm holding you and the music has stopped," he whispered. He released her hand and pulled her close. "Tradition must be followed," he breathed. His hands slid up her back, one hand taking hold of her neck and sending jolts of electricity down her spine. Elsa's lips parted in her desperate attempt to get a fully breath of air into her lungs.

Air that left her the moment Alexander's took hold of hers.


	17. Chapter XVI

**Author's Note: You guys are _amazing_! I love getting to see the reviews. Enjoy today's chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter XVI**

Elsa had never been kissed before. She'd seen her parents kiss all throughout her childhood. She'd even seen Anna and Kristoff, though they had tried to be discrete. She'd always laughed at the giddy look in Anna's eyes when Kristoff would wrap his arms around her and press his lips against hers. But now she understood it. There was an unequivocal safety that she felt in Alexander's arms. The warmth that speared through her was unlike anything that she'd ever felt before. She felt like she'd been swallowed whole by a blanket or like she'd been holding a cup of hot cocoa. She'd never felt so warm and soft; it penetrated her soul.

Alexander worried for a brief moment. She may have been wrapped up in his arms, but she was stiff and frozen as ice. Tentatively, he felt her hands drop onto his chest and grab hold of his tunic. She stretched up on her toes to gain better access to him. The ice queen had given in. She melted against his chest and let his arms tighten around her. She pulled him closer to her, her lips copying his movements with an untutored touch Alexander couldn't believe. She was innocence and seduction wrapped up in one timid girl. He eased his hand from her neck to her cheek, stroking her cheekbone and surged forward to deepen the kiss. Elsa's brief surprise was enough to make him pull back and come to his senses.

She touched hesitant fingers to her lips, her fingers trembling as she did so. She stumbled a step backwards, staring at him with wide eyes full of confusion. At least it wasn't fear. The last thing that Alexander wanted to do was scare her. "I'm… I'm going to look at the…pickled herring," she said, unconsciously curling her fingers into a fist. "Excuse me," she added before she fled. Less than an hour on Southern Isles soil and she was already behaving without thinking. She shouldn't have kissed him. There was no part of their tradition that said she had to act so brazenly. There was no telling what Alexander thought of her. She didn't know what to think of herself. But his arms had felt so warm and safe and his lips had been…incredible. For the first time in what felt like forever, she'd felt something stirring deep inside of her.

"You could've been a little more discrete," Klaus said, slinging an arm across his brother's shoulders. Alexander frowned at him. "Come on; we're in the middle of the plaza. Just because you were distracted doesn't mean that everyone was. I saw the two of you." The two of them stood there, watching the girl work her way through the crowd to an alleyway where she could hide. He knew that he should let her go, send her guards after her and let her go. He just…couldn't. He'd had a taste of the woman, of the icy fire that pulsed through her veins and blended sweetly in her heart. He wanted more.

"My King, we can go—"

"No; enjoy yourselves," he interrupted the guards, despite the fact that they were wearing Arendelle crests. "You've had a hard journey; I'll see to the queen." The men weren't even hesitant as they turned around and joined the rest of the villagers and his brothers in celebration. The fact that her men didn't seem to mind that she was alone irked him. He had expected them to be more combative, especially since he knew that the captain of the guard cared for Elsa. Still, he pacified himself with the knowledge that he was king and the guards were forced to obey him.

He left behind his brothers and everything else to chase after Elsa, needing to explain to her that he would never hurt her or force her to do something that she wouldn't want to do. Maybe she hadn't wanted to be kissed. It just didn't make sense; he'd felt the way she'd clutched at him with a sweet desperation. It didn't make sense that she didn't want him, but if that was the case… Well, if that was the case, he needed to apologize.

He followed the swirl of her skirts through the market to the alley that she was clearly wanting to hide within. "Elsa, wait," he said, cutting around a woman with a child to catch up to the woman running from him. He caught hold of her elbow to stop her. Elsa instinctively jerked her arm away from the touch and whirled around, the ice following her spin like a fan. Alexander halted, narrowly avoiding being impaled by one of her spikes. Horror flooded Elsa's eyes as she realized how close she'd come to hurting him.

"I'm…I'm s-s-sorry," she said softly. "This is why I need to gloves. Do you see what happens when I don't have them? I-I-I—" Alexander stepped around the fan of ice she'd created and reached for her. "No! Don't touch me!" she screamed at him desperately. "Please; I don't want to hurt you," she breathed, her voice breaking. Everything was falling apart around her. Nothing was going right. She was losing sight of the things that she needed to do to keep people safe. All she could think about was the way that he'd held her and the feel of his mouth against hers. "I don't want to hurt you," she repeated. Alexander didn't back down, though. He stepped forward until she was within reach and gently brushed the hair from her cheek.

"I'm sorry, Elsa," he told her, unsure what else he was supposed to say. "I didn't mean to hurt you or upset you. You have to know that I would never do something that would hurt you." His hands felt too good on her shoulders, holding her tightly. She could easily melt into his arms and let down all her walls. And she could easily put him and everyone around them at risk. "I wouldn't have kissed you if I'd known that you didn't want me to, Elsa. Please believe me; I'm sorry," he insisted.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Elsa whispered after a moment or two. "I, uh… I didn't hate the, um, embrace. I just didn't," she paused, trying to figure out how she was supposed to tell him what she was feeling. One touch of his lips against hers and everything had changed. It had only taken that single moment. "I didn't know what I was doing. And I'm sure that you…looking like you and being the king…Well, I'm sure that you—"

Alexander couldn't stifle his laughter at her words. He'd known that the woman was an innocent; he just hadn't been prepared for how much of one. He exchanged his grip on her upper arms for her entire body, wrapping his arms around her waist and crushing her to his chest. "You're laughing at me now; great," she grumbled, her lips brushing up against the exposed skin of his neck. Her hands were limp against his chest for a moment or two before she twisted her grip and grabbed his shirt in her fingers.

"I'm laughing at you because you are the most deranged woman that I have ever met," Alexander said. Elsa's face fell flat as she processed his words. "I meant it in a good way," he added when he felt her spine turn into a board.

"There's a good way to be deranged?" she asked, her voice laced with steel.

"Yes," he said, tilting her face back and smiling at her. "You must be deranged if you thought that kiss was anything short of perfection." Elsa's gaze shot from his chest to his eyes so quickly, he had to blink to catch up with her. Her lips were parted, the raspberry color beckoning to him. "You're deranged if you think _you_ are anything short of perfect Elsa."

"I almost skewered you," she whispered, wanting to pull out of his embrace but finding herself frozen in her place. "I'm not perfect; I'm dangerous."

"You're scared," he countered. "You don't want to be, but you're scared of yourself. You don't realize the gift that you've been given and the beauty in it." He held her out before him, a small smile on his lips as he took in her shocked expression. "The days on the boat, where you were using your powers and making your dresses and just being _yourself_, you looked happier that you did in all the weeks that I spent with you in Arendelle. Stop fighting who you are, Elsa."

"And let it hurt people?"

"You didn't hurt me," he said sternly, looking back at the shards that were pointing towards the alley's opening. "And I believe that if you wanted you, you could've. You aren't as scary as you think you are." Elsa cocked her head to the side as she surveyed him, baring her neck to the crisp air. Alexander sucked in a tight breath, sucking in the desire to press his lips against the skin that he knew was smooth as silk.

"And you, King Alexander, are not as much of an empty-headed warrior as you would like to think," she said.

"Oh, Elsa," a voice said from the entrance. Elsa turned to ice in his arms once again, the soft smile disappearing and the shutters falling back over her eyes at the same moment that Alexander firmed his hold on her, recognizing the voice instantly. "I see you're still trying to kill people with those _powers_ of yours."


	18. Chapter XVII

**Author's Note: Have I told you guys lately that you're incredible? Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Chapter XVII**

"Who are you?" Alexander growled, turning in a tight circle so that Elsa was pressed against his back. His shoulders were so broad, she couldn't see around him. Alexander had one hand behind him, resting on her waist. The other was clutching the hilt of his sword, ready to defend at a moments notice. The figure stepped from his shadow into beam of light that shown brightly into the alleyway. Alexander tensed, drawing to his full height and pulling the sword from its sheath at his hip. "Leave; now," he commanded in a voice that demanded obedience.

"Alexander?" Elsa breathed, her hand on his back.

"Hush," he snapped at her. "How did you get free, Adam? You're supposed to be rotting in a dungeon."

"In a dungeon alongside your _brother_!" the man snarled at them. "I don't believe that we've been properly introduced, Elsa."

"She's a queen and you will give her the respect that she deserves," Alexander growled.

"I was one of the guards sent to accompany Prince Hans to Arendelle," Adam continued nonchalantly, as if he was talking about the weather. "I was there during the Great Freeze, when you nearly killed your people. While you were tucked away in your castle on the North Mountain, your people were suffering. They were freezing, without blankets or fire. You did nothing about it for _days_. Do you know who was there to take care of your people? Prince Hans!"

"He tried to kill her and her sister. Enough, Adam. How you managed to slip by the guards, I'm not sure. But I do know that you and the traitor will pay," Alexander said venomously, stepping away from Elsa to grab the man's forearm.

"Prince Hans was a hero for the people of Arendelle and yet, you're the one that sits in the palace now," Adam continued, undaunted. "Prince Hans now sits in the dungeon, stripped of his title and awaiting punishment from his dear, dear brother." Alexander pulled the mans arm behind his back. As he reached for the other, Adam slid his hand down his thigh and moved before Alexander could stop him. The dagger flew through the air with speed and precision, aimed straight for Elsa. "Elsa!" he shouted, dropping the man's arms and lunging for her. Her heard his brothers' footsteps behind him, giving him surety that the man wouldn't escape him.

Elsa was crouched on the ground, her hands tossed up in front of her. The wall of ice was thick enough that the dagger couldn't fully penetrate it. "Elsa!" He rounded the thick wall of ice and knelt beside the mass of trembling woman beside him. "Are you hurt? Did it hit you?" There was no way that it could have; the dagger was buried to the hilt and its tip didn't even make it to the other side. His hand settled between her shoulder blades and rubbed in soothing circles along her spine. "You're safe now."

Elsa looked up at him with eyes that were full of something near to humor. "And here I thought that we were going to be enjoying a nice, leisurely day in the Southern Isles. Never a dull moment, right?" she said with a soft smile. She waved her hands and allowed her protection to melt away. "And here I thought that I would have a break in the Southern Isles."

"You'll never have a break. No matter where you go or what you do, someone in this world will see you for the monster that you truly are," Adam shouted at her as Tobias and Elias grabbed his shoulders and started dragging him away.

Elsa stood up and folded her hands together. She stepped outside of the protective circle of his arms and looked at the gathering of men. "If you excuse me, gentlemen; I think I need a moment to go and gather my thoughts." Alexander frowned at the cool expression on her face and the gentle grace with which she excused herself from the group. She acted as though she didn't have a care in the world, as though she wasn't effected by the hateful words that had been tossed at her.

"Follow her," Alexander said, nodding to Noah and Nicholas. They were the most carefree of all the brothers. He hoped that they're light, happy attitudes would put her at ease. While they were, hopefully, comforting her soul, Alexander knew that he could trust them to protect the young girl. "Make sure that no one gets within three feet of her." They nodded and rushed after Elsa. She was walking with grace and elegance, but for all the regality of it, she could've been sprinting. "I want this scum brought to one of the interview rooms in the dungeon." Tobias and Elias nodded and dragged the man away from the alleyway.

"Where are you going?" Klaus asked him as he watched his oldest brother march with determination towards the castle. "Alexander, are you thinking things through?"

"I'm thinking that our brother has weaseled his way out of prison and I'm going to drag his ass back there and order lashes," Alexander replied. He'd promised the girl that she would be safe with him. He hadn't been thinking about the guards and soldiers that may have been loyal to his brother. He gave the boys troops to command, men to be in charge of in the hopes that they would learn responsibility. He hadn't even considered that the men his brother had commanded would be loyal enough to break him out of the dungeon or attack Elsa. "Bring me the prisoner," he commanded when he marched down the stairs that led to the dungeon, standing outside of Hans' cell.

"Yes, Your Highness," the guard said, disappearing into the depths of the cell. Alexander folded his arms over his chest, a dark glare on his face.

"Brother!" Hans shouted when he saw his big brother standing in the doorway. "Are the villagers celebrating your glorious return to our homeland? Word on the street is you brought a certain ice queen home with you." He smiled at Alexander as if he was innocent. "How is Elsa doing? When she forced me to leave Arendelle, she was happy and content and showing off that curse of hers."

"What did you do to her, Hans?" he snarled. He grabbed his brother by the color and jerked him closer, until they were nearly nose to nose.

"Now, how could I have done anything? I've been locked up in this cell since I returned from Arendelle."

"Who did you pay? I know that Adam got out of prison to come and harass us at the festival. How did you get him out?" he snarled.

"It sounds like your temper is getting the best of you, big brother. I seem to recall a lesson invoking interrogation where you told us to _never_ lose our tempers. You told me that anger was good fuel, but if you lost control of it, you lost control of the interview." Alexander shoved him back, struggling to follow his own advice and reign in the fire that was burning in his gut. "I wonder what's got you all riled up. It's not like you to lose your temper over a simple betrayal."

"Christian!" he called over his shoulder. His brother materialized behind him. "Gather all the prison workers and line them up. Every man is to be questioned. Adam gets twenty lashes and is confined to the solitary cell. Just tell me what I want to know, Hans, or so help me God you'll regret it!"

"There's nothing to tell, big brother. I'm innocent." It took everything in him not to fly at his younger brother and pummel the man's face in.

"Oliver, keep him in this room. No one comes in and out. You sit on him until I come back. Can you handle that?" He demanded. His brother gave him a tight nod. "He tries to get under your skin, you switch out. I'm going to find Elsa."

"What do you want me to do with the prison keepers?" Christian asked as Alexander brushed passed him.

"Find out who Hans paid to get that man out. The guard who betrayed us gets twenty lashes and thrown in the stocks for the night," he said without stopping. "Where's Elsa?"

"In the market with Nick and Noah. She's just looking around. She hasn't done anything more than look around since we brought Adam in," Christian said as his brother turned course and started for the market. "Alexander!"

"What?" he demanded, his voice impatient.

"Hans got under your skin. You…you care about Queen Elsa," he guessed.

"Yes; so you shouldn't be too surprised that I want to go and find her. I promised her that she would be safe." And it burned his soul to know that she had been in danger, even for a moment. He marched without looking back, missing the fact that two of his brothers stood behind him staring at him.

"What are you thinking?" Jonas asked his older brother, staring after Alexander.

"I'm thinking that we may have lost Zoe, but I think we're about to gain another sister," Christian replied seriously.


	19. Chapter XVIII

**Author's Note: Your wish is my command...most of the time. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XVIII**

Alexander nodded to his brothers, giving them a signal to back away from Elsa. The two scattered immediately, without even so much as a goodbye. He strode up behind her, far enough away that he wouldn't startle her but close enough that he could smell the light scent of fresh air that washed off her skin. "Elsa?" she turned around to face him. There was nothing about her that was angry or even scared. She had a serene smile on her face and, to other people, she might even look welcoming. But her eyes were cold and hard.

He wanted to shake her until she told him what was truly bothering her. He knew that it had to have something to do with the words the Adam had so hatefully thrown at her. But he also knew that it had to be something deeper. "Could we take a walk, Elsa? There is much of the Southern Isles that you haven't seen. Perhaps a tour of our keep and castle." Her facade cracked a little when she gave him a glimmer of a smile. She was likely remembering the first tour of the keep that she'd given him; when she'd been worried about his intentions towards her kingdom.

"That would be agreeable," she said with her smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. He needed to get the Elsa that had been on the boat with him back. He covered the small distance between them and grasped her hand, tucking it into the crook of his arm. He turned her around and started to lead her through marketplace. "It's a beautiful town," she whispered, looking up at the buildings that rose into the air. High, gabled roofs with flower boxes in each of the windows. The town practically oozed happiness.

"Aye, beautiful," Alexander agreed, but Elsa was so entranced with the architecture, she didn't see that he hadn't taken his eyes off of her. "I am sorry about what happened in that alleyway, Elsa." She lifted her left hand to dismiss his statement and prepared to tell him that everything was fine, but he rushed onward. "You should have been protected. Nothing about what happened in that alley is okay. I promised you that I would keep you safe and I failed at that." They were at the edge of the market now, starting through the village.

Elsa stopped, pulling Alexander to stop with her. "You failed at nothing, Alexander. That man was right. No matter where I go or what I do, I will _always_ be remembered for the things that I did. There will be people that realize that I didn't mean to hurt them or freeze the world over. And for every one of them, there will be more that think that I'm a monster. You can't please all the people all the time," she said with a shrug, looking towards the trees that lined the perimeter of the town.

She didn't want Alexander to berate himself for things that were beyond his control. He hadn't been the one to try and attack her. He hadn't been the one to say the words. And at the end of the day, he'd tried to protect her. "You won't talk to my brothers, I gather," he said. "So perhaps you'll talk to me. I know that what he said had to have hurt." It had, even if she wasn't willing to admit it to herself. "This is my keep," he said, crossing the small bridge to the castle's curtain wall.

Elsa stayed silent as she walked over the bridge, her hand still trapped in the tight clasp of his arm. "Your home is beautiful. Far more stunning than Arendelle's castle," she breathed. The walls were beautiful stone, well paved and solid. They passed by the windows of the chapel, the stained glass windows casting beams of colored light all over the ground.

"I think that Arendelle has a few things that I've come to…appreciate," Alexander said, trying to tell her how much he was coming to care for her without scaring her away. Elsa still hadn't said anything about her feels. He wanted her to rely on him and tell him what was going on with her. The two of them continued through the keep, Elsa taking in everything around her. The keep was stunning and strong, just like the man that was standing beside her. The deeper that they got into the castle's grounds, Elsa found that the windows were beautifully crafted, art in and of themselves. There was a garden in the courtyard, just beside an area where men were training. The castle was a personification of the man himself. A hard, warrior like exterior and a soul that made her melt.

His hand closed around her upper arm and pulled her behind the wall of the byre, the motions swift and discrete. "Please talk to me, Elsa. I regret the fact that one of my men betrayed us and you were the one to pay the price for my stupidity. I wish that I could fix my mistakes and take you out of harms way. I can't; but I _need_ you to talk to me. Please." Elsa's blue eyes searched his, confusion once again filling the orbs. She hadn't realized how much her silent pain had been affecting him.

She took a deep breath, realizing how tired she was in the fifteen minutes since Adam had thrown the dagger at her. Hiding herself and her emotions from everyone else had worn her out. Things had been so much simpler aboard the boat, when she didn't have to hide. Every day, she'd played and joked with Liam and Lucas and the crew. Most evenings, she'd been able to use her powers to create an iceberg and float away with all her problems. At least, until Alexander had come looking for her to bring her back to the boat.

She had been relying on herself for so long, she'd forgotten what it had been like to have someone to rely on. She'd stopped trying to rely on her parents when she'd grown old enough to be on her own. And after their death, she'd been completely alone. But if the serious look on his face was any indication, she had Alexander, too. He was pressing her into the byre walls, his hands clasped tenderly but forcefully around her arms to keep her in place.

Alexander watched the ice disappear in her eyes and felt her shoulders rise and fall with a sigh. "It hurts to know that people think that they can't trust me," she admitted softly. "And sometimes, I think that it would be easier to go back to my bedroom and shut the doors. That had been my plan, you know. Before the Great Freeze and the coronation ball, I had been planning to be crowned as queen and go back to hiding in my room. I thought that I could just control everything from there. Most of the time, I'm glad that we've opened the gates again and I'm got back my sister. But sometimes," she trailed off, not sure if he would understand.

Alexander's thumbs drifted to her shoulders, caressing the skin as he smiled down at her. "Sometimes, you think that it would be easier if you could go into hiding again," he finished for her. Elsa nodded, feeling vulnerable and translucent. "Don't do that to yourself, Elsa. Don't shut me or your sister out. You don't have to keep your distance anymore." Elsa's lips twitch and humor flashed in her eyes. "What?"

"My sister said the same thing," she whispered. "But it's…different to hear it from you." He beamed at her brightly. "Thank you," she said sincerely. He nodded instead of giving a worded reply. Elsa told herself that all that needed to be said _had_ been said. She told herself that she should just step out of his arms. But her body moved without her permission, evidently with a different plan.

She found herself raising up onto her tiptoes, bracing her hands on his shoulders as she lifted up to softly brush her lips against his. The kiss was little more than a feather brushing against his lips, but Alexander felt it all the way in his soul. "I'm sorry," Elsa breathed, realizing that she'd probably overstepped the boundaries. Forget propriety; she'd practically thrown herself at him like a wanton woman.

His hands slid from her arms to her waist, pushing her against the wall with a little more force. He loomed over her, so much taller she was surprised that she hadn't noticed the difference before. She told herself to remove her hands, to let him go, but her body wouldn't comply again. She wanted to curl into his embrace again, as she had after the dance. Instead, she tightened her fingers around his shirt, gripping his shoulders. Alexander felt that desperation. He wasn't able to stop himself. He wanted desperately to kiss her. He _needed_ to kiss her. "Don't be," he whispered before he pulled her closer and took possession of her lips.


	20. Chapter XIX

**Author's Note: Reviews are always greatly appreciated. Enough of them, and we all know that I'll post another chapter. I just can't help myself. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XIX**

It only took an instant for Alexander to realize that he was never going to get enough of having the queen of Arendelle in his arms. Elsa, in turn, was realizing that she was letting herself go. For once in her life, her thoughts weren't about hiding herself or controlling her powers. Her mind was muddled, the only thing running through her brain the thick wavy hair that had captured her from the first time that she'd seen him. Would it feel as soft as it looked? Was it as thick and silky as she thought it would be?

Alexander nipped at her bottom lip, enticing her to give herself over to him. He could feel her trying to to rein herself in, to get her control back. She gasped against his lips, her hands releasing their grip on his shoulders. He felt her fingers flirt with the sensitive skin at the nape of his neck, with the beginning of his hair line. He wanted to plead with her, to beg her to run her fingers through his hair, but then she arched her back and pressed herself into his chest and away from the wall.

He slipped one arm around her waist, surprised to find that she was so petite, she fit into the embrace. With the other hand, he spanned her shoulder blades. Elsa's fingertips slipped into his hair, into the curls that wound themselves around her fingers. Alexander sighed in relief when he felt her fingers against his scalp. The sharp pull against the strands alerted him to her pulling his face even closer. This was what he had wanted their first kiss to be. She was still hesitant and a little scared, but he could feel her confidence building.

Elsa pulled away when she lost the ability to get oxygen to her brain. Alexander was almost grateful that she'd pulled away, since his chest was heaving and he couldn't get a full breath into his lungs. At the same time, he wanted desperately to keep kissing her. He pressed his forehead against hers and let their breath mingle in the air between them. "I like the byre," Elsa whispered, biting her lip nervously. She knew that the statement was bold and not at all queenly. Alexander's deep chuckle rumbled through her, melting away her embarrassment and nerves.

"I like it a lot more than I did an hour ago," he replied. Elsa dropped her hands from his neck, sliding them down his chest until her palms were on either side of his collarbone. "Do you want to head back to the celebration or would you like to get settled?" he asked her, needing to put some separation between the two of them before he kissed her again.

"If you could show me to my room for a moment, that would be great," she said quietly. Alexander nodded and took her hand again. They walked in silence, a pink wash stealing over Elsa's cheek and neck. Alexander's mind whirled while he tried to figure out where he should put her in the castle. Traditionally, Elsa was a guest and as such, should be placed in the West Tower. The South Tower and its chambers were intended for family only. He should put her in the West Tower, give her a spacious room with plenty of space. She should have a maid to take take care of her needs, a salon to retreat to, a floor that was practically just for her. So he couldn't possibly explain why he found himself leading her to the South Tower.

"This will be your chamber," he said, bringing her into the room that was right below his. It had once been his mother's rooms, where she'd gone when she'd needed a break from the testosterone filled house. "There's a salon attached and the bathing room is just below," he said, watching her look around the room. His mother's room was mostly white and lavender, with black fur rugs on the ground for cushioning. "I will send you a lady's maid."

"No; please don't," she said, spinning around to face him, the wonder of the glorious chamber falling away from her face. "I've never had a lady's maid before and I don't want to start the tradition now. I prefer to do things on my own."

"But you're a queen—"

"And I didn't have a maid on board the ship and I did just fine," Elsa said, patting his arm reassuringly.

"I need to go and see to…to something in the back courtyard. There are guards down the hall if you need anything. And Klaus and Lucas are going to be heading up here after a minute or two. They're just the floor above you; there's a back staircase from your salon. It leads to Zoe's old room, which is empty. If you need anything, just head up those stairs and you'll be in the middle of twelve armed warriors. Safe as can be," he smiled, trying not to think about the lashes that awaited him in the courtyard. Elsa smiled and nodded at him, waiting to see what he would do next. She was sure that kissing him was the greatest thing she'd ever experienced, but wasn't sure if it was…acceptable in the walls of his castle. Any number of people could walk in.

Alexander drew his hand down her forearm to her hand, clasping her fingers within his. He leaned down and pressed his lips against her cheek, pulling away only enough to whisper into her ear, "I'll come back for you at dinner." She nodded, felt his lips brush against her cheek once again, and watched him draw away. At least she knew that he wasn't regretting kissing her. If she was being honest with herself, she would have to admit that it was the one thing that she was most afraid of.

Alexander left the bedroom as swiftly as propriety would allow. He was afraid of what would happen if he found himself alone…in a dimly lit room…with a woman that his body couldn't seem to ignore. He pulled the door shut with an audible clap, hoping in the back of his mind that he didn't scare her, and jetted down the stairs to the courtyard. "What information have you gotten from them?" he asked Christian. His younger brother held the whip in his hands. His face was hard, but Alexander knew that he was loathe to punish any of his men. It wasn't how Christian chose to discipline his men.

"Nothing; the men all swear that they have gotten nothing from Hans and that none of them let Adam free," he replied. "I don't know what else to do to get information from them, Alexander. Our men have never been disloyal to us."

"Aye, but we've never had dissension among us as brothers before," Alexander muttered. "There's never been a reason for the brothers to argue. We've had disagreements, but nothing this severe. The men are being forced to choose between the king and the man that has led them."

Their back turned to the men, with Noah and Nicholas keep watch, Klaus and Alexander conversed. "Hans barely commanded his men. We both know that," Klaus whispered, his head bent close to his brother's."

"I know it," Alexander agreed. "Hans preferred to direct instead participate. I can't imagine that any of his men feel loyalty when he was a leader in words only. His actions were never there."

"You think that it's money then," Klaus said. Alexander shrugged. "He couldn't have gotten the money from where he is. He's been no where but in that dungeon, Alexander. Jonas has been delivering his meals himself." Alexander frowned, his brows drawn together as he considered those implications. "You can't possibly think that Jonas would help him."

"It's a possibility, Klaus. Jonas and Hans, while not friendly, have shared everything since birth, even a womb," Alexander pointed out.

"But Jonas is loyal to _you_," Klaus hissed. "All of us are. There wasn't a single one of us who thought that you were unjustly punishing Hans for what he'd done. He deserves far worse than the leniency that you are showing him, Alexander. If it were any other man, they would've been beaten, given provisions, and banished. His being our brother is the only reason he hasn't been set adrift in a rowboat."

Feeling guilty for suspecting yet another one of his brothers, Alexander listened to Klaus and nodded, deciding the younger man was right. His brothers had never hesitated in coming to him, in talking to him about their concerns and their disagreements. They knew that he was king and, ultimately, he would decide whatever it was he wanted. But they also knew him to be a fair man who would listen to them. "You're right," he sighed. "Hans does deserve to be rightfully punished for his actions in Arendelle. Bring him down."

"What are you going to do?" Klaus asked softly.

"What I should've done when he was twelve; punish him."


	21. Chapter XX

**Author's Note: You asked; I've answered. I hope that you are all enjoying!**

* * *

**Chapter XX**

Hans was brought up in chains and forced to kneel before the prisoner guards that were lined up in the courtyard. He took the whip from his brother's hand, knowing that he would have to be the one to punish the man. He didn't want to humiliate the young man in front of all the men that had known him since his childhood, but he couldn't think of another option. If the traitor was loyal enough to break someone out of his prisoner for Hans, the man would reveal something on his face.

"Spare yourselves the trouble," Alexander said to the men. "Tell me which one of you let my brother's captain out and this can all be over and done with." None of the men moved a muscle. "Spare yourself the humiliation, Hans, and tell us who you've hired to do your dirty work. I don't want to punish you in front of the men that you've known all your life. Save yourself. Tell us who it is," Alexander instructed, keeping his voice low. He wouldn't mind all too much, though, if the men knew that his brother was a rat.

Hans didn't say anything, confidence and smugness radiating off of him. "You leave me no choice," Alexander said. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to hurt his baby brother. He lifted the whip over his head, the leather snapping in the air as he prepared to deliver the blow. All the boys, save Klaus, who had gone upstairs to keep guard over Elsa, and Lucas, who'd already been upstairs, were stiff. He saw each of them struggling not to look away, their faces contorted in sympathetic pain. They didn't want to see their brother punished any more than he wanted to do the punishing.

He started to bring his hand down when a whirlwind of brown fabric fly across the courtyard and fling itself over Hans' body. Oliver lunged forward and caught the whip around his forearm. The leather broke his skin, but Ollie didn't even flinch. With a yank of his arm, he pulled the handle from Alexander's grasp and turned to see who had thrown himself over their brother. "What in the world are you thinking, Emily Peterson?" Ollie demanded, grabbing the little girl by the forearm and hauling her to her feet. "You almost got your lashed"

Emily, with her yellow-blonde sunshine hair and bright green eyes turned to stare at the king with desperation. "Please, my King, I beg you. Don't hurt him," she whispered. "I did it; I'm the one who let Adam out," she declared.

Alexander recognized her the instant he heard her name. And even if he hadn't her father jerking out of his position in line and shouting her name would've reminded him that the girl was one of his oldest guards' daughters. "She doesn't know what she's saying, Your Highness. She would never do anything to cause you harm," the man shouted.

"Please, my King; I can explain all of this. I am the traitor that you're looking for, not any of these men behind me," she said steadily. Appalled that a woman he'd known, the daughter of a man he trusted, could do such a thing, he couldn't help but listen to the girl.

"Ollie, take Hans back down to the dungeon," Alexander commanded. Oliver may be one of the youngest of the boys, but he looked desperately at Alexander, pleading with him to allow him to stay. "Christian, take Hans down to the dungeon. Keep him there, at arrow point if you must." Christian nodded and dragged Hans away. The rest of the men, however, were forced to stay where they were. "Start explaining yourself, young woman, before I lose my temper. Why would you commit treason?"

"I love him," Emily said softly. Alexander took note of the green tint that colored Oliver's skin suddenly, but was too focused to question the nineteen-year-old.

"You _love _him?" Alexander clarified. "And how exactly do you know that you love him?"

"Emily is one of the few friends that Hans ever had," Ollie said quietly.

"You're the lass who used to hide beneath the staircase," Alexander realized, remembering when he'd stumbled upon the girl when he'd been trying to hide from a tutor when he was no more than twelve. Emily nodded again and again, until one nod blended into the other. "My brother was just recently engaged to the Princess of Arendelle. You expect me to believe that he's now in love with you?" he asked suspiciously.

"He is, my King; I swear it. He explained it all to me. The Queen and Princess of Arendelle are lying to you. Hans explained," she insisted. Her father was burying his face in his hands, knowing that his daughter had to be punished.

"Why don't you explain it to us, Emily?" Oliver suggested, his face now contorted in rage.

"I was the maid assigned to cleaning the empty cells in the dungeon. Hans and I spoke every evening while I was working. He told me how he'd been in love with me since he was little more than a teenager," she explained. Alexander frowned. "I understand, though, my King. I'm nothing more than a serving maid. Hans is…_was_ a prince. He told me why you refused and, truly King Alexander, I understand."

"_I_ refused?" Alexander asked.

"Aye; he told me. You wanted him to marry a woman that was more to his station that I was. He went to Arendelle as the representative for the Southern Isles. He explained how he thought that Princess Anna would be more to his station and how you would be more pleased with him if he married her. He told me all about Anna and her sister and what happened. That's why he wanted me to released Adam."

"Because he tried to kill a queen and her sister?" Alexander asked, more confused than ever.

"No; of course not, my King," she said, shaking her head now. "He swore to me that all those accusations against him were false. But you stripped him of his title, which mean that we were free to marry. We were finally of the same station. You have to understand, Your Highness, I never thought that I would marry. Not with my standing," she begged. Alexander frowned at her. She was a beautiful girl and, clearly, loyal. Her father was a valued member of the Guards. "Hans said that he didn't want his title back, King Alexander. He just wanted to be cleared of his charges and allowed to go free. He could be married to me and he could be a free man."

"If Adam went free? Did my brother ask you to let Adam out?" Oliver demanded.

"No; I swear it. He told me that Elsa would recognize him and that he would be able to tell you that they had lied," she insisted. "I was just trying to help."

"Oh, lass," Alexander sighed. "My brother lied to you. He wanted you to let Adam free in order to harass Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

"No; he wouldn't do that. He wouldn't lie to me," she shouted, but seeing the sadness written on all the brothers' faces, she knew that they weren't lying to her. She'd been played. "I—I'm so sorry, my King. I believed him. I didn't think that he would lie to me. I swear it to you."

"Noah, bring the girl to Moira and explain it all to her," Alexander said.

The guard stumbled forward and dropped to his knees before his king. "I beg you, my King, don't punish her. She's a foolish girl; I'll take a stricter hand wit her. I beg of you. Please, don't harm the girl," he pleaded as Noah was helping the distraught girl away.

"Please don't, Alexander," Oliver whispered so softly, Alexander almost didn't hear it. "She didn't mean any harm." Alexander eyes his brother speculatively, but nodded.

"The girl won't be punished; her innocence was punishment enough. I just happen to know that your wife died in childbirth with your daughter. The girl may have been raised by a man, but she has a woman's heart. Moira is the wife of one of my men; she'll be able to soothe the lass and explain things to her," Alexander said, patting the man on the shoulder. "I apologize for the implications that have been placed on you here today," he added in a louder voice to the men around him. "We were just trying to find out who has been harassing our guest." The men nodded their understanding. "Queen Elsa is visiting from Arendelle. I care not what you've heard about her abilities or what you believe you know. The woman is to be treated with respect afforded a guest of the King. Is that understood?"

"Aye, my King," the men all agreed.

After sending them all back to their work, Alexander dismissed his brothers and started towards the training field. "Alexander?" He turned to find Oliver standing behind him, his arms held over his chest. "I have a question for you." He simply cocked and eyebrow and waited. "If Hans had been telling the truth, if he'd been in love with Emily for real, would you have given him permission to marry her? Despite the fact that she isn't of royal blood, would you have allowed their marriage?"

"I don't care about blood, Ollie," Alexander said, clapping his brother on the shoulder and giving it a firm squeeze. "I care about my brothers and their happiness. If you find yourself in love with a girl who is nothing more than a serving lass that holds your heart, I'll be happy for you."

Ollie beamed at him and nodded, trying to swallow his obvious glee. "Thank you, brother," he said.

"Go do your studying, Ollie," Alexander replied.


	22. Chapter XXI

**Author's Note: I just couldn't help myself... Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XXI**

_Dear Anna,_

_ As promised, I am sitting down to write to you at the most beautiful writing tables that I've ever seen. The Southern Isles are truly beautiful. There isn't much ice, as I know Kristoff loves, but I think the two of your would enjoy a stay here. The room that Alexander has given me is practically an entire floor, with its own salon and a small reading room. There's even a staircase that leads to the other chambers. The castle chapel has stained glass windows. There's a bridge and gilded railing on the balcony. It's stunning._

_ I hope that you and Kristoff are doing well. Alexander has assured me that the travel for post is much quick than it is with people. If you have even the slightest need of me, please don't hesitate to write me. I miss home, Anna, but I think that it's for the best that I leave for a few days. It will give the people enough time to calm down._

_ Feed Sven a carrot. Give Olaf a hug. I'll be home before you know it. _

_All my love,_

_Elsa_

She stared at the note, truing to think of more to write. Repairing a relationship was strange and…difficult. When Anna's heart had been melted, it had been mutually hoped that the two of them would be able to return to the lives that they'd known before. But trying to pull their relationship back from the depths of darkness was turning out to be more difficult than they had thought. She loved her sister. She would do anything for the strawberry blonde. They had days where talking to each other were easier than others. She'd even thought that writing to her sister would be easiest of all. But the word wouldn't come.

She folded the letter and sealed it with the wax, pressing the seal she'd brought with her. Taking a deep breath, she stood and looked at herself in the mirror. The gown that she'd fashioned for dinner was simple, much simpler than the one that she'd created for the welcoming ball in Arendelle. However, it had more flare to it than the dresses that she'd created while aboard the ship. Those had been comfort clothing to cover her body with. The neck of the dress she was currently wearing, however, was scooped a few inches lower than her collarbones. White lace peaked out at the neckline. They looked more like a series of snowflakes lined against her skin. The blue that she'd created was darker than normal, almost navy in tone. The front of the skirt spilt into a 'V', revealing more white, snowflake lace as the underskirt.

The dress was fuller around the hips than what she would normally create, but the bodice still clung to her soft curves. She'd swirled all of her hair atop her head in a bun, her crown sitting perched at the crown of her head. She'd gone to the North Mountain a few days after thawing out her kingdom and found her mother's crown, but she hadn't worn it again. She didn't want a crow. She hadn't wanted the title. But she'd kept the crown, even brought it with her. She was the queen of Arendelle. She wouldn't embarrass her people by refusing to wear her crown and acknowledge her authority.

She'd worried for a moment or two that the dress she'd created wouldn't be appropriate. She'd barely visited Arendelle; she didn't know what it was that one was supposed to wear as the visiting royal. She did know that she was going to have to pull away from Alexander. She'd decided that the feelings that had pooled in her stomach and fluttered in her heart had just been surprise. She'd never been kissed before. She'd never had a man hold her close. She was just a naive girl, at least in this matter. She'd done the same thing that she was sure countless women before her had done: she'd fancied herself in love. She'd just been lonely. She was sure of it. The kiss hadn't been anything more than attraction and loneliness shared between two people.

"Elsa? Are you ready to come down for dinner?" Alexander called through the door, knocking softly at the same moment. Elsa pulled the door open and gave him a small smile. He wanted desperately to haul her into his arms once again, but put off the urge by addressing the next matter of his concern. "I wish that you would let me assign you a maid, Elsa. You shouldn't be answering your own door or fixing yourself for dinner. Although, I will admit that you look stunning." She beamed at that praise, unable to help herself. "A maid?"

"There's no reason," she replied softly, noticing the soft but distinct lines of distress on his face. "What's wrong? What's happened?" Elsa demanded. "If I've caused any problems for you, Alexander, you have to tell me. The last thing that I want to do is ruin things within your family. I didn't mean to do hurt your family." Alexander took hold of her hand and squeezed it tightly within his.

"I just had to deal with Hans again," he explained, his voice tight with frustration. "Don't worry about it, Elsa."

"No, please," she insisted, taking his hand and dragging him into her private salon. "I've unloaded all of my burdens on you. Allow me to do the same for you." She sank down onto the small couch and patted the spot beside her, waiting for him to join her. "You feel responsible for Hans' actions, even though they weren't yours. You have no influence over your brother's behavior in Arendelle. You know that, don't you?"

"I know that I didn't force him to act the way that he did in Arendelle," he clarified. "But I raised my brothers. I was responsible for teaching them to be men. I just don't understand how I could have failed him so horribly," he explained. "I must have done something wrong. After all, he tried to kill two innocent women."

"Have you considered that it might be him?" Elsa asked quietly. Alexander frowned, clearly not having considered it in the slightest. "My parents were good people, Alexander. They raised me well. They gave me love. And at the end of it all, I almost killed an entire kingdom with my fear and selfishness."

"A fear that your father has bred into you," he said softly, wanting her to blame someone else. He wanted her to blame someone other than herself, just for a moment.

"But it's not their fault that I lost control. Just like it's not your fault that your brother is greedy. I don't think that it's something that you're in control of," she whispered. "Look at it this way, Alexander. There are thirteen of you. That means that you've raised a dozen children before you were fully an adult yourself. In age, you may have been a man, but you hadn't made the mistakes that you needed to in order to learn. You raised twelve boys, Alexander, and you have raised men that I am _proud_ to know." She took one of his large hand between both of her small ones. "Liam and Lucas took good care of me while I was on board that boat. I've only known your other brothers for a few hours, but I see the respect that they have for you, Alexander. They're good men. Is it really so terrible to Hans may just be a bad egg?"

"You believe that he was _born_ bad?" Alexander asked incredulously.

"No; I believe that he wanted a reason to stand out and the only way that he could find to do that was to act out. You've told me that he's a loner, that he was always troublesome. It's not farfetched to believe that he would do this to gain your attention. And when he realized that it wasn't getting him what he wanted, he deeded to take power instead. He is just a selfish boy that will always want what he can't have," she explained.

Alexander fell silent, mulling over her words and trying to find a place where it could conceivably be the answer she provided. "We should head down to dinner," Alexander said, standing and holding his hand out to her. She wrapped her arms around herself instead of taking his hand. He frowned at her, his lips pursed. "Is there something bothering you, Elsa?"

"We need to talk about what happened by the byre," she said, moving to stand by the fireplace. She was pacing slowly, trying to figure out how to tell him what she'd decided.

"Did I do something that made you feel…uncomfortable, Elsa?" Alexander asked, his eyes wide as he saw the distress there. "Because, I promise you, I won't ever hurt you. I won't do anything that makes you feel upset or uncomfortable or even unhappy."

"No; I wasn't uncomfortable. I just…" She took a deep breath. "I think that you may have misunderstood my actions earlier. I just wanted to make it clear that I was just a little overwhelmed. You were comfortable and I knew you. I'm not some foolish little girl, Alexander. I know that there's nothing between us."

"We should go to dinner," he said instead of replying to her. He took her hand by force this time, albeit gentle force. He was silent, reining in his frustration and desire to show her exactly what existed between the two of them. He led her down the staircase and into the Great Hall. He assisted her up to the head table, pulling back her chair and waiting for her to sit down. He wouldn't push her or force her to do something that she didn't want to. But he wouldn't allow her to believe that the kiss had been nothing more than a need for comfort.

With his hands on the back of her chair, he leaned down over the back of her chair. "You're wrong about one thing, Elsa," he breathed into her ear. "There is something here between us."


	23. Chapter XXII

**Author's Note: Your guys' reviews make me laugh. Enjoy this one!**

* * *

**Chapter XXII**

Elsa ate quietly, chewing on the venison that had been served her. It was tender and well-seasoned, but she was more interested in way that the brothers interacted. The head table was placed on a raised platform, much like the table in Arendelle. The difference was that this table was significantly larger. The smaller of the two sides was placed before the windows that lined the east wall. There were three place settings there, the largest being at the center. Alexander placed Elsa to his right and Lucas at his left. From there, the brothers sat at whatever position at the table they wanted, five on each side.

They weren't boys any longer, but Elsa quickly discovered that no one could guess their age by their actions at dinner. The boys joked and played, leaning over each other and plucking food from each other's plates. Elsa enjoyed watching the camaraderie, however crazy it was. Alexander didn't say much; he was looking at his brothers with a look of amusement that bordered on love. While Alexander looked after his brothers while bemusement, Elsa was more interested in the sudden snap of Oliver's neck when the serving women came into the hall to clear away the plates.

The girl that bent over to retrieve his plate was quite beautiful. Her hair was the color of spun gold and even with the distance, Elsa could see that her eyes were emeralds. For all her beauty, though, her eyes were puffy and swollen, as if the girl had been crying. Oliver put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, to which the girl gave a watery smile. "Alexander?" Elsa said softly, leaning over so that she wouldn't be heard. "Who is that girl with Oliver?"

Alexander's spine stiffened as he caught sight of Emily serving his younger brother. He didn't want to have to explain more of Hans' transgressions. Besides, explaining how his brother had tricked another young woman into believing he loved her would only remind the queen of her sister. "She's a serving girl; her name's Emily," she explained. "Why do you ask?" he asked. He would punish any of his brothers that had told her about what Hans had done.

"Your brother is fawning over her," she whispered to him. "I think he likes her." Alexander followed her gaze, watching Ollie practically fall all over himself.

"That would explain why he asked me if I would allow him to marry someone beneath his station," Alexander said, slightly amused by the way his younger brother was staring longingly after the blonde server. It would also explain the despondency in his brother's voice when Alexander had been considering punishing the girl for being the victim of his brother's charm. It was unfortunate that the girl had proclaimed her love for Hans, but Ollie was persistent enough that Alexander was certain the girl would eventually come around. She couldn't resist Ollie forever. Just as Elsa wouldn't be able to resist him forever.

The boys began bickering over dessert, acting more like children than men. Elsa was surprised when Alexander lifted his cup to his lips, took a long drawl, placed it back down on the table, and cleared his throat loudly. The table fell silent, the brothers looking contrite and apologetic for goofing around. "This dessert is one of the specialities of the Southern Isles," he told her softly, digging into the pudding that was placed before them. He watched Elsa carefully, knowing that it was an acquired taste. Clearly, one that Elsa had from the pleased look on her face after eating the citrus sweet.

The rest of the meal was spent with companionable conversation. Alexander watched her with his brothers, the way that she smiled and laughed, even if she participated little in the conversation. At the end of dinner, he took Elsa back to her room, sure that she was tired from the travels. Heaven knew that he was. He was also looking forward to sleeping in a bed for the first time in nearly a week. Standing outside the bedroom door, Alexander hesitated. He wanted desperately to pull her into his arms and kiss her until she felt the connection between the two of them. But the last thing that he wanted to do was scare her away or make her do something that she didn't want to do. So, instead of hauling her into his arms, he threaded their fingers together and leaned down to brush his lips along her cheekbone. "If you need anything, my room is directly above yours," he told her, his cheek pressed softly against hers. Elsa nodded, her heart palpitating with the close proximity of him. She could feel him beside her, the heat that radiated from his chest, the whisper of his breath over her ear, the pounding of his heart against her chest.

"Good night, Elsa," he said quietly, kissing her cheek once more and waiting for her to slide into her chambers. He stood in the hallway, smiling at her until the door slid shut. Only once he heard the latch click into place, he leaned his head forward and pressed his forehead into the door. "Good night, Elsa. Sleep well," he told the door softly before he turned and started for his chamber.

For the next few days, he allowed Elsa to get her bearings and figure out more about his home. He gave her a real tour of the keep, even of the byre. Admittedly, he'd been hoping that taking her to the barn would make her remember how she'd felt when he'd been holding her against the wall. But she'd simply surveyed the small area and announced that it was a very fit looking byre and that the animals looked healthy. The words were light and carefree, but he could tell from the rigidity of her spine that she wasn't as carefree as she wanted to be. She felt the chemistry between them.

By the fifth day, Alexander was forced to leave her alone with only guards for accompaniment. He had to train his men, see to his brothers, and take care of his keep. Elsa assured him that she would be fine alone. She wanted to go and explore the forests, to look around for a little bit. Noah and Nicholas watched their older brother looming over the petite queen of Arendelle. The woman held her hands on her hips and stared at him, waiting for him to finish giving her the list of rules. "She's a beautiful woman," Noah whispered to his brother.

"She's a _brave_ woman," Nicholas said. "When was the last time that you saw someone standing toe to toe with Alexander?" he asked with a laugh.

"What are we whispering about?" Oliver asked, his voice low as he crept up between the twins. He draped his arms over their shoulders and hung his weight between the two of them.

"Your inability to use a bow and arrow," Noah muttered. "You've got a talent with a broadsword, brother, but you can't do anything with a bow."

"And you, brother, can't add up sums to save your life, Noah," Ollie whispered back. "Now what are we talking about? Elsa and Alexander?"

"What else is there to talk about?" Jonas muttered, coming upon the ground. "The two have been the talk of the kingdom since he brought her here. She's too quiet."

"She's not bad once you get to know her," Lucas defended.

"Do any of you know the meaning of the word discretion?" Nicholas asked them.

"Shove off, Nick," Liam said, pushing his brother's shoulder. "Lucas is right; Elsa isn't bad at all. She's just cautious. She worries about pretty much everything since the Great Freeze. Alexander's being trying to pull her out of her shell."

"Why weren't we invited to this brotherly meeting?" Tobias asked, coming up behind him with Elias following. "What's the word?"

"That Ollie can't use a bow if his life depends on it?" Christian guessed, trotting up to the curtain wall where they were all standing.

"Shove off," Oliver said, tired of hearing it. "We're talking about Alexander and the queen."

"She prefers Elsa," Sebastian said.

"You know, a dozen of us gathering is hardly quiet," Klaus added.

"There weren't a dozen of us a few minutes ago," Noah grumbled.

"She's wound too tight to be a part of our family," Jonas added, his voice quiet. Elsa was growling at Alexander now, promising him that she could take care of herself and begging him not to make her have guards.

"Yeah, but she could loosen up," Nick argued, a devious smile on his face. "And I think I know just the way to make it happen." The brothers watched Alexander lean down and kiss her cheek as he let her leave towards the forest line. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked his twin, his eyes alight with impish gleam.

"A little bit of black powder goes a long way," Noah replied.


	24. Chapter XXIII

**Author's Note: Second chapter for the day. Possibly one more to come (cough, cough: depending on reviews!) Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XXIII**

Two days later, Alexander thought he might burst if he had to sit beside her for one more night. The woman had been in town for a week. He hadn't kissed her in six days. And he thought he might just die if he had to walk her to her bedroom door more night, kiss her cheek, and leave her there. She also making protection quite impossible. If he assigned her guards, she found a way to escape from them. She preferred to roam around the forest and town alone, without a single man to protect her from anyone her brother might have influenced.

The girl was insufferable, incorrigible. She was driving him insane with her need to be independent, to be on her own. "I know that you want to be free, Elsa; I know that you want to be on your own," he'd said to her the previous morning, "but can't you be on your own…with guards?" She'd tossed her head back and laughed before turning away and starting towards the town again. If he ordered his brothers to tail her or to show her around, she pouted and sulked and refused to say anything to them. He had no choice but to give into her demands.

Of course, that didn't stop him from having at least _one_ of his brothers in town, close enough that they could get to her if they really needed to. "Jonas, tail Elsa today please," Alexander said, hunched over the account books, trying to figure out the fishing costs and exports. Jonas' lip rose a little with his frustration. His brother's silence drew his attention immediately. Setting aside the pen, he looked at the young man. "Do you have a problem with that?" he asked, an eyebrow cocked.

"You've given her plenty of freedom, Alexander. Nothing has happened to her thus far. What makes you think that something will happen to her if we're not sitting right there?" Jonas asked.

"I didn't ask you whether or not you thought that something would happen to her. I asked you if you had a problem tailing our royal guest to ensure her safety." Alexander snapped the books shut and looked at his brother. "You best start talking, Jonas, before I send you up to your room like I did when you were a child. What's your issue with Elsa?"

"I don't have an issue with her," he said sternly.

"And yet, you've never questioned an order that I've given you before," Alexander said quietly. "So, what I want to know, is why you're treating Elsa like she'd a scrap of meat you want to toss to the dogs. Start talking, Jonas. I raised you; I know when you've got an issue." He folded his arms over his chest and waited for the younger man to answer.

"She reminds me of Zoe," Jonas said, his voice so quietly, Alexander almost didn't hear it. "When she talks to us, when she smiles and laughs, she makes me think of Zoe."

"And thinking about your baby sister is a problem?"

"No; but Elsa is just a reminder that we don't have Zoe back," Jonas said, looking down at the stone floor. "I know what you're going to say, Alexander. You're going to tell me that it's not Elsa's fault that I think about Zoe. You're going going to tell me that I shouldn't be taking it out on her. You're going to tell me that we're going to get Zoe back." He licked his lips nervously and looked up at his brother. "I know that you're right; but that doesn't change the fact that it hurts to think about our little sister."

Alexander stood and strode to where his brother was standing. Jonas' plans were pressed firmly into the wood, his shoulders pushed up so high, his neck had practically disappeared. Standing beside him, Alexander wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulders. His brothers were barely men; but they'd been forced to deal with things that fully grown men couldn't even imagine. He squeezed his brother's shoulder and pulled him even closer. Jonas had been one of the youngest when Alexander had finally come home from his search for Zoe. "Elsa's a good woman, Jonas. If you harden your heart to every woman who makes you think of Zoe, you'll never be able to be happy."

Jonas sighed, the tension dissipating. "I'll trail Elsa today," he agreed, turning to wrap his arms around his brother as well. "If you keep waiting for Zoe to come back in order for you start your life, you'll never have one," he said as he pulled away and went to discreetly find Elsa. Alexander frowned at the wise words that had come out of his brother's mouth.

"Brat," he grumbled, turning back to the accounting books. He quickly lost track of time, his face buried in the accounting books. There was a discrepancy in his books, he knew it. Either that or his fishing profits had greatly decreased. There were a series of islands; there was no way that their fishing profits had decreased by nearly thirty percent. "This makes no sense," he grumbled as he flipped back to the records that the fishers had kept. They were required to log how many fish were caught each day and how many traps they laid each evening. If the records that they kept were accurate, it made no sense that the numbers were down. The records were consistent with what was shown for the past few months.

"Alexander? Lunch is being served," Klaus said, stepping into the War Room. Alexander just waved hi off. "Elsa's coming."

The books could wait.

He pushed to his feet and followed Klaus down the stairs to the Great Hall at the same time that Elsa was entering the castle. He broke away from his brother and strode straight to the woman he was slowly realizing he'd always needed and never dreamed of. "I hope you've had a good day," he said, hoping to melt a little bit of the ice that she was keeping herself concealed in.

"It would've been better if you didn't have your brother following me around the entire day," she replied in a soft voice. There was nothing impolite about her tone, but neither was she warm. "I find myself starved though. Are you ready for lunch?" He nodded and slid her hand onto his arm, covering her gloved fingers with his. He led her to the Great Hall and helped her to the table, holding out her chair for her.

The popping of an explosion started the second that Elsa put her weight into the chair. She let out a startled squeal. Alexander grabbed her about the waist and pulled her from her seat. The crackling continued, as if one charge had set off another. In the course of a second, Alexander wrapped his arms around Elsa and pressed her into wall between the windows behind them. He covered her entire body with his, locking her arms against his chest and hoping to catch any shrapnel that might come at them.

Nick and Noah's guffaws broke into his consciousness first. He kept Elsa wrapped in his arms and turned his head enough to see that Klaus, Liam, and Lucas had all backed away from the table, but the rest of the boys were laughing loudly. "They were just poppers, Alex," Noah said, holding up the small ball in his hand. He threw it down against the floor, the explosion echoing through the room. "They're not dangerous." He felt Elsa trembling in his arms and turned back to her, worried that his brothers tomfoolery might have truly frightened her.

Instead, he found the woman smiling and laughing, her eyes brimming with tears of amusement. She held a hand over her mouth, trying to keep her chuckles and giggles inside. The worry in his chest began to ease as he, too, saw the joy in what his brothers had done. They'd scared Elsa with their little poppers and broken her hard facade. That, and he'd completely overreacted. He relaxed his hold around her a little, letting her conform herself to him and cling to him for support while she dissolved into laughter. "You two scared the life out of me," she managed between her giggles.

"You—" His words were cut off by a booming explosion from the stables, only a few feet away from the windows. He twirled around to look at Nick and Noah, but they were already shaking. "Take Elsa up to my chambers," he told Liam. Liam nodded and stepped forward as the flames burst over the roof of his stables, the horses whinnying and snorting. "Stay upstairs until I come for you," he told her.

Elsa turned around to look at the fire and then back at him. "I can help, Alexander," she insisted. "I can freeze the—"

"No; I don't want you near the fire. It's too dangerous. Liam will take you up to my room," he snapped. Before she could argue any more, he lightly shoved her towards his younger brother and left the hall, having to trust that his brother would take care of her.

The fire was blazing by the time that Alexander made it to the stables. Whatever sparks had started the fire had found the hay in the loft and set the entire roof aflame. The grooms and stable boys were frantically running around beneath the flames, throwing open gates and allowing horses to run free. They were animals, after all. They knew when they were in danger. "Where do you need us, Clyde?" he called out beneath the roaring of the flames.

"We need to get the stallions out, my King! They're in the back barn," the stable master replied. Alexander nodded and rushing for his stallions. His father had spent years breeding horses, ensuring that the Southern Isles had the strongest war horses, despite being an island country. He wouldn't lose all that work. He wouldn't lose the last piece that he had of his father.

The red roan was rearing and striking out with his front feet, desperately trying to kick his own gate open. "Easy now," he told the horse as he neared the latch. "Easy, boy, easy," he repeated again and again. He lifted the metal latch, feeling the material burn into his flesh. Despite that, he lifted the lock. The gate crashed open with a bang as the roan struck out once again. The hoof, with its metal shoe, struck him straight in the face, but didn't stop the horse.

Alexander felt the blood at his temple and stumbled back a step. The world grew blurry, the heat grew unbearable at his back. The roan didn't care about him or the fact that he'd struck his master. The stallion leapt over him and continued toward the exit as the black spots entered his vision and he sank to his knees, the heat baring down ever closer.


	25. Chapter XXIV

**Author's Note: (Evil laughter) I love when you get all frustrated with me for the cliffhangers. It's the only insurance policy I have that you guys will for sure read the next chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XIV**

Elsa paced in the spacious prison of Alexander's bedroom. Liam had led her to the room and practically thrown her inside. She'd turned around to force him to let her go out and help with the fire when Liam slammed the door shut. She heard scraping for a few moments, wondering what it could be. She rushed forward shoved at the door, but it wouldn't budge. "I've barred the door, Elsa; it's for your own protection," Liam's voice told her from the other side of the door.

"Liam, let me out. I can help," she shouted, pounding against the wood. "I can help stop the fire. Liam, let me out!"  
"I can't, Elsa. Alexander wants you here. I'm leaving a man here to guard the door. Call out for him if you need anything," he said before turning and heading towards the stables to fight the fire alongside his brothers, leaving Elsa alone in the chamber.

For a moment, she was stunned by the fact that she was in Alexander's room. The bed was made of a heavy dark wood, but she would never know what kind it was. She didn't have knowledge of that kind of thing. It was sturdy with four columns and a wooden top. The fabric that was draped around it was thick and heavy, the color the same as the fir trees that lined the forests. It looked so warm and thick. Elsa was sure that it would blocked out the sun entirely. Everything in the room was a representation of the man who lived there. The colors were greens and golds and even blues. The trunk at the foot of the bed was the same wood as the bed frame, carved with an ornate pattern on the top.

She ran her fingers over the top of the trunk, lightly tracing the outline of the design. The light shining in from the window reminded her of what it was that she was being barred from. The window was the width of two men and just as tall as Alexander. The flames licked at the walls and roof of the stables, the red and orange shining into the room that she was in. The light from them mingled with the sun's warm rays. She braced her hands on her hips and glared down at the fire.

The boys were running back and forth, some of them entering and exiting the barn. Men were drawing water from a well. More were throwing pales of water onto the flames, trying to extinguish them. It was all so frustrating, especially since she knew that she could easily get rid of the fire. Horses flooded out of the barn, set free by more and more men. But she didn't see Alexander. It was almost as if he had disappeared completely. "Guard?" she called loudly, turning back to the door. There was no response. "Guard? I need help, please," she shouted now, standing just beside the door.

"No, Queen Elsa; we were given orders not to let you out," the man's dark voice shouted. Liam had commanded them to help her.

"I know, but I need help," she insisted. "You were ordered to help you."

"We were ordered to keep you in that room until it was finished," a different soldier said.

"No you weren't!" she shouted at them. "Liam told you to help me if I needed it.

"And Hans told us to keep you locked away," the first voice said menacingly. "Once the people realize that you didn't even try to save King Alexander and his brothers from the fire, the people of the Southern Isles will question his judgement."

"And give Hans the kingdom? Are you insane?" she shouted. "That doesn't even make any sense! Hans is lying to you. He's not going to be able to give you anything, regardless of what he's promised! If you let the King die or come to harm, you'll be charged with treason. Just let me out, and we'll forget that all of this happened!"

"No; Hans was explicit in his instructions. If we obey, we get to be captains instead of footmen," the second voice replied.

_Don't do it,_ she told herself, feeling the nerves bite at her stomach. _You'll undo all the control you've been building and alienate everyone in this country._ But she couldn't fight the feeling that Alexander was in trouble. She could stifle the nerves, no matter how she tried. "God forgive me if I'm wrong," she breathed, yanking the gloves from her hands and looked at the door, pushing her hand in front of her. The door turned to solid ice instantly, the crystals crawling up to encircle the metal hinges that attached the door to the wall. "I'll just have to by him another door," she muttered, creating a block of ice to smash into the lumber.

As she'd expected, the hinges had grown too cold and gave way when the weight crashed into it. The men stationed outside the door lunged out of the way, narrowly avoiding being crushed by the portal's covering. "Queen Elsa, we have orders—"

"From a man who isn't in charge," she shouted. Shaking her head sadly, she deftly pointed her hands at them. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you go." The ice crawled in front of her like a river, grabbing their feet and anchored them to the ground. "You should pray that we get the barn fire under control before you're frozen there for too long," she whispered, turning with a swirl of skirts and sprinting down the three flights of stairs to the exit of the castle.

"What do you think you're doing?" Jonas shouted from the well when he saw Elsa sprinting towards the flames. "Get back in the castle, Elsa. If Alexander catches you out here, he'll punish all of us for failing to protect you," he screamed at her when she continued towards the barn. "Elsa!"  
The young queen sprinted towards the barn without a single qualm. She heard Jonas shouting after her, then Christian, then Oliver, until the voices became too many to keep track of. She kept her hands in front of her, freezing whatever was in her path, in order to keep the other men around her at bay. Even the brothers, who knew without a shadow of a doubt that she would never hurt them, jumped out of her way. She found a bare patch of wood that wasn't in flames and touched it, watched the ice climb up the barn and eat away at the flames.

Whether it was because the ice and snow that was managing to put out the flames was magical or not, Elsa would never know. What she did know was that the ice wasn't melting as it came into contact with the flames. She clapped her hands together and threw them up in the air. The clouds appeared solely above the barn. The wind never rose, but the snow came down in blankets. Some of it melted, but the flakes that did were immediately replaced by another snowflake until they managed to tamper the flames atop the barn.

She strode straight to the center of the barn, where the hayloft was in full flames. She became a human fire extinguisher as the ice and snow flew from her hands. The wood that remained was black, the flames have eaten away at it and the soot blanketing everything. The entire structure was rickety and weak. The slightest wind would teeter the entire building. Thinking of Alexander, desperate to find him, the snow ceased its fall. "Elsa?" a deep voice called.

She spun around quickly, though her brain already knew that it wasn't Alexander. She was hoping that she had somehow been wrong, that he would be standing in front of her, glaring at her, ready to chastise her for escaping her prison. Instead, it was Sebastian who stood before her. She looked around him, peering for any and all signs of the man her heart was crying for. "Where's Alexander?" she asked, her hands trembling. Not a soul answered her. "Where is King Alexander?" she repeated, a chill creeping up around her. "Someone answer me! Who was the last to see King Alexander?"

"I was, Your Highness," a man said, limping forward. His hair was shades of grey, his skin weathered and wrinkled. "He went back to the back barn, to release the studs."

"All the studs are accounted for," a younger man said, his red hair blowing into his face. "I was back there, Clyde; I didn't see the king, Your Highness."

Elsa flew to the back of the stables, where the stalls the men deemed "the back barn" were. The front barn house mares and riding horses. Separating the front from the back was a series of rooms, an office, a ladder, a walkway, and a tack room. The back barn had been burned to nothing, Despite the fact that Elsa had stopped it from burning everything, little more than just the frame remained standing back this far. She looked around, searching for any sign of Alexander. Maybe he had gone out the back, when the wall had burned down. "No, that doesn't make sense," she whispered.

The corners of the barn were blanketed in snow, where the flames had been strongest. One lump was distinctly bigger than the others. "Alexander?" she whispered, desperate. She rushed forward and reached out and scrubbed the snow away.

Alexander screamed when her hand brushed his bare back, aggravating the burns and blisters. "Sh, sh," she breathed, bending over him to make sure that he was still breathing. "Sebastian!" she hollered. "Alexander, can you hear me? You're safe now; we're going to take you back to the castle now." She brushed her hair away from his face, seeing his eyes half open. "Make something to carry him in. You have to keep him on his stomach; the burns to his back are too severe," she instructed the gathering of boys behind her. "Alexander, we're going to take you home now." He didn't answer her, though. He blinked slowly, staring at the things around him, but seeing nothing.

The fire had burned through his vest and shirt, the remnants of it stuck to his skin in some places. His back was covered with black, charred skin and blisters. She wished there was some way she could give him relief, but knew none. She didn't know for certain which boys gripped his ankles and hips, which slid their arms underneath his chest, which grabbed his head to keep him still. They lifted him into a carrier, fashioned out of a horse blanket and two medium sized branches. Alexander's eyes had closed somewhere between when she'd been looking at him and when he'd been placed into the stretcher. "Stupid, stupid, foolish man," she muttered, brushing his hair away again. "Get him inside. Bring him straight to his room. Do_ not_ touch his back."

"Do you know how to treat burns, Elsa?" Oliver asked him.

"I freeze things, Ollie. What makes you think that I know anything about burns?" she said, patting the man's shoulder. "But I'm going to do everything I can for him," she promised. The boys counted off and lifted him at the same moment, but it didn't stop Alexander from screaming in pain. Elsa leaned down to try to cushion his head with a rolled up shirt from one of the boys. Checking to make sure that the boys weren't paying attention, she kissed his temple. "Don't leave me, Alexander," she begged him. "I have so many things to apologize for."


	26. Chapter XXV

**Author's Note: Someone requested that I get a chapter up by 1:30 today. It's 1:29 in Wyoming!**

* * *

**Chapter XXV**

Someone was slowly trying to pull his flesh from his bones. He could feel it, the slow burning and peeling of his skin being pulled from him. A heavenly voice was hushing him, soft hands were cupping his cheeks. The boys lifted their brother evenly, bracing the branches on their shoulders to keep him as stable as they could, to keep him from jostling too much. "Keep him level as we take the stairs. The lower boys will have to raise him above their heads a little," Elsa instructed in a soft voice.

"It'll take weeks to get him up to the room, Your Highness," one of the guards told her.

"I don't care if it takes a year to get him up to his bed; I don't want him to be in any more pain than necessary," she snapped. The boys stared at her, having never heard that tone in her voice before. She always sounded regal. Her movements were always graceful. But the requests that she made were always…requests. She never demanded anything. She always used her manners. Here, though, looking at their brother, the men were face to face with a _queen_.

Oliver and Klaus lifted their arms above their head the slightest bit to level their brother. The sharp jostle shocked Alexander. He screamed louder than he had before, struggling against his confines. "Slower; take it slower," she insisted, sinking down onto the stairs. She cupped Alexander's cheek in her palm. "Sh, Alexander. Stay still," she instructed him. He stilled, as if her voice calmed him enough to make him stop thrashing. "Let's go," she said, nodding to the brothers. Liam and Lucas, at the head of the carrying squad, lifted their brother another step and another.

Three flights of stairs, normal and easy on a regular day, were suddenly torture. It took the boys ten minutes to get the king up the stairs and into the master chamber. "The right side of his body is less burned," she said quietly. "Lay the stretched on the bed and let it fall open. We'll roll him to his right side and pull the sheet from underneath him."

"What about the other branch?" Elias asked.

"Take a knife and cut the blanket. I'll by you another one later," she dismissed. The boys were slow to negotiate his transfer to the bed, but somehow managed it. Alexander fought a little when his body hit the cool fabric of his bedspread, his skin unprepared for the cold. "Get me every single length of toweling that you can find," she told them quickly.

"What are you going to do?" Klaus asked her.

"I'm going to make them so could, they'll freeze those damn blisters and take away the pain," Elsa snarled, her voice sharp with determination. "Go, now!" she shouted, pointing to the empty threshold. The boys filed out of the room, not a single one of them asking her what happened their their brother's door.

She found herself wanting to curl up beside him, against his skin and let him hold her. For a week, she'd been trying desperately not to kiss him. For a week, she'd been telling herself that she didn't feel anything for him. She'd been lying to herself, she realized now. If anything happened to him, if he was anything but perfect, she didn't know how she would ever forgive herself. "I don't have time for this," she growled at herself. She pushed off the bed and dropped to her knees on the ground beside the trunk. She pulled the two lengths of soft flannel toweling that she could find from the depths. "This is going to hurt," she whispered to him. "But I don't know another way to do this."

His pained shout tore at her hair when the fabric touched his raw, open skin. She lay the entire towel over his back and then held her hands over it. She froze the fabric, until it was crystallized and banked with snow. "Elsa?" His voice was harsh and pained, thick with exhaustion and stress. "Elsa!" The distress in his voice tugged a little harder at her heart. She cupped her hands together and blew on them, chilling them as much as she could without freezing herself to ice. She placed her hand on his forehead, turning his face to the side to make him more comfortable. "Elsa," he sighed, relaxing a little bit.

"We've gotten the toweling for you, Elsa," Liam said, placing them atop the chest. "Is he…Is he okay, Elsa?"

"Do you have a healer in the village?" she asked him. Alexander began kicking his feet and thrashing, trying to escape. Elsa slid closer to him, uncurling her legs and pulling his head into her lap. "We need a healer, Liam. You need to go and find one."

"We have a healer; I'll send Sebastian to go fetch him. He's the fastest rider," Liam acknowledge, watching the ice queen gently stroke his brother's hair and caress his cheek. "Elsa, why are their men frozen in the hallway?" he asked her gently.

"They're Hans' men," she said softly. "They're trying to take over the kingdom. Hans is telling men that he'll make them captains or politicians if they side with him. He was trying to make it look like I didn't _want_ to save you guys from the fire."

"We'll take them to the dungeon," Lucas said, poking his head into the chamber. "I don't even want to know what happened to the door," he added, winking at her. Elsa's lips tweaked in a soft smile. "What's this I heard about Sebastian?"

The twins began talking about what needed to be done, while Elsa hunched her body over Alexander's head, wanting to clutch him to her chest and hold on to him forever. "Elsa, get out," he mumbled under his breath. She pulled back to look down at him, surprised that he would ask her to leave. He was trying to roll himself onto his back, trying to get away and she couldn't let him.

"Alexander, stop this at once," she said, putting an icy hand between his shoulder blades to hold him down. "Stop it!"

"Elsa, the fire! You have to get out of the fire! Get out!" The panic in her heart cleared; he wasn't asking her to leave the room. He thought that they were in the barn still, that both of them were going up in flames. "Get my brothers out! You get out!"

She rocked herself back and forth, rocking him with her. She lifted her hands from his body and rubbed them together. Instead of creating friction, she created a chill that crawled between her palms. Noticing a small burn on his neck, she laid her hand against it. Alexander sighed and relaxed against her, her hand practically sizzling against his skin. "Queen Elsa?" a female voice called into the depths of the chamber. She'd been so absorbed in calming Alexander, in trying to keep him alive that she hadn't noticed that the brothers had left to get the healer, the other boys were chipping away at the frozen feet of the men that she'd kept prisoner.

"Just Elsa," she replied, blowing ice onto her hands to cool it again. "Are you the healer?"

"No, lass; I'm Moira."

"Dorsey's wife," she said with realization. The woman nodded, her black hair streaked with grey around her temples. She'd pulled it back into a soft bun, save a few strands that were littered about her face. Her eyes were like the color of coal, but Elsa had never seen so many shades of black.

"Would you mind if I checked his back, lass? I just want to know what he's up against," she whispered. Elsa nodded and forced the cold snow that was keeping his pain at bay to melt away. It ran down into the mattress, probably soaking through, but Elsa didn't care about that. Moira stepped forward, taking hold of the edge of the towel and lifting it. Alexander grumbled as the pain laced through him.

"Sh, Alexander, sh," she whispered, brushing her hands over his hair.

"They are severe, but nothing that should cause severe scarring," Moira announced. Elsa nodded, something in her chest easing a little in her brain. "I know that I have no right to ask, Your Highness, but I would like to stay here and help you care for him. Please; the man is like the son I never got to have."

"Only if you'll cease calling me Your Highness and Queen. I'm just Elsa," she said with a smile. The healer appeared a few moments after she had frozen the towel again. He was a young man, but his mother had taught him everything since he was a child. "Henry is a good healer, Elsa. He'll take good care of our King," Moira assured her as Henry shooed them both from the room so he could strip the King down and see how far down his burns went. Two of the boys had hung a sheet over the threshold. Elsa stood before it, staring at the fabric, wishing she could go back in. "I think I like you Elsa," Moira announced.

"You don't know me," Elsa replied, turning to face the older woman.

"No; I don't," Moira agreed. "But you're not a man and in this castle, that's a hard thing to come by." Elsa smiled and nodded her agreement. "And you're in love with my Alexander."


	27. Chapter XXVI

**Author's Note: The third chapter is up to you guys. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XXVI**

"I don't—"

"Queen Elsa?" the young man interrupted Elsa, stepping out of Alexander's room. She turned away from Moira to look at the healer, her eyes wide and fearful. The healer smiled at her with sympathy, seeing the caring in her eyes. "I don't want to bother or upset you, Your Highness, but King Alexander is demanding your presence. I was hoping that you would be able to calm him, Queen Elsa, while I place the salve on his skin to protect the burns from infection," he explained swiftly.

As if Elsa needed an excuse to go back into that room. She'd been itching to find a reason to go back into Alexander's bedroom. "I'll come and get you after we finish, Moira," she told the older woman. Moira smiled knowingly at the young queen as the woman disappeared into the king's bedroom. Henry held the curtain aloft for her and followed her towards the bed.

"I need to see Elsa; let me see Elsa," Alexander said, trying to twist around. He rolled towards his right and then felt the pain shoot down his spine. "Elsa! The fire; it's too dangerous—the fire. Elsa, get out of the fire…"

"Sh, Alexander," she hushed him, crawling up on the bed beside him. "I'm here. I'm right here." His eyes popped open wide, blurred and unfocused. "We're in your chambers, not the barn. We're not in the fire. We're safe here," she told him. He struggled against the pain, trying to push himself upright to sit with her. "Stop it," she snapped, pressing her cold hand against his back. Alexander dropped down to the mattress again, her hand melting his muscles and easing the sting of pain. "You're going to hurt yourself."

"You disobeyed me," he grumbled. "I told you to stay here in this chamber."

"As if you honestly thought that would work," Elsa laughed. "Now lie still and let Henry put that medicine on your back."

"What happened to my back?" he mumbled. He flinched when Henry's hands touched down on his back, the cool salve smoothing over his burns and easing the pain. It felt good, but he had to admit that Elsa's hands felt better. Elsa removed her hands from his back, but dug her hands into her hair. "Feels good," he managed, the words slurred from exhaustion. "What happened?" he repeated.

"You are a stupid, testosterone fueled idiot," she replied, brushing his hair away from his face. He turned his head a little and pressed his cheek against her thigh so that he could see her. "You thought that I couldn't help you and that you needed to protect me. You got yourself kicked in the head. Your back is burned."

"The roan kicked me," he muttered, reaching up to brush his thumb along his temple. Elsa beat him to it, using the hem of her shawl to brush to blood away from his temple as lightly as she could manage. "You're damn beautiful, Elsa," he told her. She smiled, continuing to brush his blood away. "You're staining your dress."

"It's made of ice; it'll be fine," she assured him, taking a moment to look up at Henry. He lifted his hands away from the king's back and placed another clean towel against his skin.

"If you'd be obliged, Your Highness," Henry said, gesturing to the fabric. "The cold will ease his pain and soothe the burns." For once, her powers weren't some terrible curse. For once, she was able to help someone. She placed her fingertips on the towel and watched the frost crawl along the fabric. Alexander sighed in relief and melted a little more against her legs. "I'm going to make him something to help him sleep, Queen Elsa. I'll return shortly."

"Send Moira in, if you would," she replied softly. The healer nodded to her and left. _It's about time the castle had some women back,_ he thought as he left the two of them alone. He turned back just in time to see the young king flop an arm over the visiting queen's lap. "You're poor back," she breathed, looking at the burns that covered the top of his left arm. The salve covered them, but his movements had slipped the towel down his back.

"You need another towel?" Moira asked, stepping into the room. Elsa nodded and took the smaller one that Moira offered her. The old Scot watched the young girl lay the small face towel over her would-be son's shoulder and kept her hands on it, freezing the fabric and covering it in frost. "You have a gift, lass," Moira whispered. Alexander's eyes had drifted closed again, but his brow was furrowed and pained.

"No; I was born with a curse," Elsa said softly. "Could you dip that facecloth into some water, please? I want to clean all this blood off his face." Moira poured water into a basin and dipped the cloth in, handing it over. "I was born with a curse, but for once I can help someone," Elsa said, taking the cloth and brushing it against Alexander's face. He groaned when she dug a little into the cut. "I've heard of head injuries where the skull breaks off. You don't think anything that serious happened to him, do you?" she asked in a near silent voice.

"Of course not, lass. If there was something so serious with the lad, Henry would've caught it and helped him," Moira said, patting the girl's shoulder. "You should go and get some rest, Elsa. It'll be a long night with these burns. I suspect we'll be needing your gift every few hours to cool those towels."

A little warm cider would brace her for the hours to come. She hadn't eaten lunch, but knew that food wouldn't sit well at the moment. She placed her palms against the mattress and attempted to lift her hips and slide out of bed. Alexander's arm tightened around her thighs. He may be tired and weak from the pain, but there was still strength in those muscles. "Elsa," he sighed, scrubbing his face against her skirts and pulling her tighter to him. "The fire, Elsa. Get out of the fire!"

"Something tells me that he's not going to be very happy if I get out of this bed," Elsa said when Alexander calmed. "I'm fine here," she added. Caressing his hair had slowly become an addiction to her fingers. His hair was soft and smooth, so thick that her fingers disappeared when she was burying her fingers in the depths. Moira watched the younger woman looking down at the king, the way her eyes followed every line of his face and the way she was entranced with his hair.

"I'll bring you something to eat, lass," the woman. She leaned down and pressed her lips against Alexander's now-clean temple. Elsa thanked her like a proper young woman, but not like a queen. Dorsey was bent over a table down in the kitchen, stuffing food into his mouth like he'd never eaten before. "Quit stuffing your gob, you old goat," Moira said, affectionately smacking the man's ass. "The cook doesn't need to be cooking for you, too. There's plenty of food down in the cabin."

"Aye, but there's no sweets in that house, my dear," Dorsey said, slipping his arm around his wife's plump waistline. "Don't you look beautiful today," he muttered, kissing the tip of her nose.

"All that sea air is getting to you, Scotsman; you're finally losing your wits," Moira retorted. "I look like a woman about to fall over from baking all that bloody bread."

"And you've never looked so beautiful," he told her, capturing her lips this time. "How's the lad?" he asked. Moira pulled out of her husband's embrace and started gathering food for Elsa. Unsure what she would like, the elderly woman put a small plate of bread, apples, and cheese together.

"His back has been nicely burned and he's got a nice dent in his skull from that horse," Moira said, looking for cider and the like for the visiting queen. "He won't let go of that blonde lass up there in his bed."

"Moira, I know that look," Dorsey chided. "Let the boy figure out his own feelings for Elsa." He narrowed his eyes at his wife when her hands stilled in the middle of slicing the apple. She stumbled for only a moment before continuing again. "Moira, what have you done?"

"I simply informed the lass that she's obviously in love with Alexander," Moira said, putting the apples onto the plate and grabbing the hunk of cheese to slice. "It's not like she's hiding it so well. She was practically giving herself blisters when she was rubbing her hands outside of his bedroom."

"And you think that means that she's in love with him? The lass was probably worried about getting herself into trouble, what with Alexander being her protector," Dorsey laughed.

"Trust me, Dors, I know love when I see it. That woman is young, but she's in love with our king," Moira insisted. "Besides, you lads are all so afraid to lose control, you'll never admit that you love us first. You need to reassurance that we love you."

"Aye," Dorsey said, grabbing his wife and spinning her into his chest. "I'd take some reassurance if you've got the time," he added, waggling his eyebrows.

"I don't have the time, you randy old brat," she retorted, swatting her husband's hand away. She took hold of the plate she'd made and placed it between them. "This is what I'd like for these princes to find, Dors. And we both know that Alexander is the most stubborn of all the boys. There mother isn't here," she whispered quietly, so that none of the boys would hear her. "I need to make sure they find suitable women who can pester them well into their old age. Starting with Alexander."


	28. Chapter XXVII

**Author's Note: Having a terrible day... Prepare for the flood of updates!**

* * *

**Chapter XXVII**

Alexander opened his eyes, unwilling to move for fear of the pain that he knew would rocket down his body. The world around him was dark, not a single candle or streak of light around him. He blinked away, dispelling the sleep that had built up in the corners of his eyes. The dark fabric of his canopy stared him in the face, the thick velvet fabric blocking out whatever light could be shining about the room. He felt groggy, like he'd had too much ale the night before. His back, however, burned like fire. He couldn't have been too drunk since he could still feel the pain.

"Sh, Alexander," a sweet voice whispered to him, icy hands pressing against his cheeks and forehead. "We're safe and in your room. We're not in the barn; there is no fire. It's all gone," the voice said, but there was a certain boredom and frustration in the tone that told him the words had been said more times than he realized. "Ollie!" the voice called into the darkness. "Ollie, can you find me Henry again? Alexander's waking up again."

"I'll go now, Elsa," Ollie's voice called back.

Elsa? Elsa was in his bed? That didn't make any sense. For a week, she'd been trying to push him away. She'd even started retreating before he could kiss her cheek at night. She was killing him, driving him mad with desires that he couldn't squelch. He moved his head, trying to find out where Elsa was. If nothing else, he wanted the memory of Elsa sitting in his bed. It was something that he knew he would cling to when Elsa left for Arendelle again. She was already struggling against their connection. It would only be a matter of time before she walked away completely.

Whatever he was pillowed again was cold, like a window pane that had been frosted over in the dead of winter. He blinked again and again, trying to force his eyes to adjust to the darkness around him. A soft, smooth hand gripped his shoulder and tested something on his back. He opened his eyes, fighting the haze of sleepiness that tried to force him back into the abyss. He saw the shapely curves of a woman lying in his bed, covered by a blue-white fabric. By…ice.

He was lying with his head pillowed on Elsa's ribcage, her hand wrapped around his shoulders. He wished that he could twist around, that he could position himself more comfortably. But the second he moved, he felt the stinging begin. "Elsa?" he tried to say, but the words stuck in his throat. He coughed, trying to clear his throat and moisten his vocal cords. "Elsa?" he tried again.

The soft presence at his bedside, the strange warm body with the icy exterior fled from his side swiftly, staying only long enough to replace her chest with a pillow. "You're awake," she stated redundantly. She pushed the curtains around the bed back and knelt to the ground beside his mattress. "How are you feeling?" she asked now, pressing her hand against his forehead as if checking for a fever. Her hand felt like a slice of heaven against his skin. He wanted desperately to haul her back in his arm, but moving felt like someone had set a torch against back. "I'm sure that you're in pain. Sebastian? Is Ollie on his way back up with Henry?"

"He's right here," Klaus replied instead of Seb. Why was the healer in the room? There was no reason. The man needed to be finding a girl to train for when he died. Besides, some of the women in the village didn't feel comfortable having a man act as a midwife.

"Let's take a look, my King," Henry said. Alexander's lips twitched at the formal tone of his friend's voice. Henry was the fourteenth son that his parents had never expected to have. He'd never heard the man be so formal with him.

"She doesn't like titles either, Henry," Alexander grumbled. "Tell me what's going on?"

"Why should I?" Henry muttered. "He comes home from war, Queen Elsa, and you know what he says the first time he sees me in _four years_?" Henry asked, obvious affection hidden beneath this displeasure in his voice. Elsa shook her head, knowing the Henry didn't expect an answer, but giving him one anyways. "He comes to my house in the middle of the night with a cut on his arm. All he says to me is, 'Fix it please, Henry.'" The healer threw his hands in the air in obvious exasperation. "Infected, covered in puss, and bleeding from every joint in his body. And he wants me to fix it?" Henry demanded.

"Henry, shut up and tell me what I want to know," Alexander grumbled.

"The roan kicked you in the head. You've got a nasty knock in your skull, but nothing too serious. I'm more concerned about the burns on your back. You're covered in blisters, Alexander. If they burst, there's a good chance that you'll get an infection and _die_."

"You say that every time I come home," Alexander muttered in response, not moving and still staring at Elsa's face at his bedside.

"I'm hoping that if I say it enough, you'll take it more seriously," Henry retorted. "I brought more tea to help you sleep. I want to check the lesser burns on your thighs. I would hate to offend your sensibility, Queen Elsa," He said, looking over Alexander's body at Elsa.

"That's quite fine," Elsa said, smiling at the both of them. I have something that I want to see to," Elsa replied. She licked her lips and took a deep breath. She had promised herself that she would stop pushing him away. She just hadn't expected there to be an audience when he first woke up. Bracing herself, reminding herself that she was a strong woman, that she'd put out the fire by herself, she leaned forward and softly pressed her lips against his temple. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Elsa," he groaned as she pulled away. "You are coming back, right?"

"I promise," she beamed, kissing his temple again. Alexander felt the warmth spread through his chest when she pressed her lips against his skin a second time. He wanted to pull her back onto the bed and into his arms, but she sailed out the door before he could do anything more than smile at her.

"I like her," Henry said when the curtain fell over the doorway. "You should hear her boss your brothers around. I haven't heard anyone do it since your mom."

"Elsa shouted at the boys?" Henry nodded, clearly amused at the thoughts. "What happened to my door?" he asked then.

* * *

"Open the cell," Elsa snapped, momentarily pushing aside her need to be polite. If she was going to get the information she needed from him, she was going to have to be hard and uncaring. For just a few minutes, she was going to have to forget her fear of losing control. "Now," she added to the guard.

"Queen Elsa, I could fetch one of the princes—"

"No; I want the cell opened. Lock the door behind me. Do you understand?" The guard looked stunned, but nodded. She flipped her white hair over her shoulder. She'd forgotten to braid it after her nap in Alexander's bed. Still, she had to push it aside and deal with the matter at hand. The hinges creaked when the door opened. The single lantern in the corner was turned down low, the flame flickering softly. The door slammed shut, the clap of the metal hitting itself almost making her jump. She refused the urge, though, and glared at the form in the corner.

He hadn't been allowed to change since that day in Arendelle. She knew that it was wrong for her to feel a little pleasure about it, but she did. She was glad that he wasn't being treated well simply because his brother was the king. He looked up, his eyes as green as the jade that her parents had brought home with them from one of the trips. Even locked in a dungeon, he looked like a king man. It was no wonder that Anna had fancied herself in love with him.

"Elsa!" he said with delight, pushing to his feet. She noticed that his hands were shackles at the wrists, connected to a chain that was wrapped about his waist and then connected to the wall. He couldn't take more than a few steps without being pulled to a stop. "I was wondering when the two of us were going to see each other. I know that my chambers aren't exactly accommodating, but they are what they are. To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked, that charming smile on her face.

"You tried to kill your brother," she growled, pulling her gloves that had been returned to her after the fire from her fingers. "I think the two of us need to talk."


	29. Chapter XXVIII

**Author's Note: Next chapter. Might be the last one for the night. Haven't decided yet.**

* * *

**Chapter XXVIII**

"What is it that you're hoping to do?" she asked him. "You've succeeded in killing my sister once before. I won't let you ruin another person the way that you tried to ruin us." She draped the gloves elegantly over her hand, her heart pounding in her ears. "So, start talking to me. What are you planning, Hans?"

"What makes you think that I'm planning anything? I'm already being punished," he said, lifting his hands and jangling the chain to prove his point.

"So you have nothing to lose. You can scheme and plot here and know that you're not going to get retribution because you have no where else to go," she said darkly, her jaw taut and mouth pursed with tension. "You tried to kill me and my sister. I know that you've got something planned, Hans. You convinced some of your brother's men to betray him and hold me in his room until he died. Now, tell me what you're planning." He just smiled at her. "Fine." She pushed her hand in front of her body and let the ice crawl along the ground. Despite the brave look on his face, Hans tried to back further into his little corner.

"W-w-what are you doing?" he asked as the ice got closer to her.

"Do you know what happens when you get too cold?" Elsa asked him, keeping the ice at a steady flow. "It happened to my parents. I asked the healer in Arendelle about it when I got older. See, your body gets so cold, you'll shiver too hard to move your hands. It gets harder to breathe. You won't be able to get rid of your goosebumps, no matter what you do. Some men say that they get warm again before they die. You'll have to let me know," she said.

The ice had reached his boots, crawling over the leather and anchoring his feet in place. "The healer said that after that, you'll get even more shivers. You'll jerk all of the sudden, because your muscles are trying to keep blood flow. You won't be able to walk. You'll be confused, your brain fuzzy. You'll lose feeling in your lips, ears, fingers, and toes. Before you die, you'll have trouble thinking. You'll forget things and stumble. Your skin will become blue and swollen. The colder you get, the less that you'll be able to do this. You'll stop breathing. Your heart will slowly stop. Eventually, you'll die," she said succinctly.

The ice had crawled up his legs, but Elsa made sure that it was nothing more than a light frost. It wouldn't harm him, but she would chill him to the bone. "If you are interested to know what all of that feels like, keep quiet. But if you don't want that, you should probably get to talking." The ice had reached his waist, slithering around the chains and shackles. "Why are you doing this?"

"I want to be a king," he said, his teeth already chattering. "Is that really so hard to understand? I'm thirteenth in line for the throne. I just want something that the rest of them don't have," he continued, his hands beginning to shake.

"Your brother is already the king. That's something that he already has," Elsa pointed out.

"But if I take it from him, then he doesn't have it any more." He tried to shrug, but the cold was eating at his bones. "I see you've decided that you're going to be the monster that's inside of you."

"I'm not the monster here; you are," she snarled. The ice around his legs thickened, his feet stuck to the ground. "You actually tried to kill your own brother and blame it on me. All because you want power?" The raised her hand swiftly, building the snow up to his neck. "You're not even worth the space that you take up in this cell. I won't let you hurt anyone else. I won't let you hurt your brothers, my sister, Kristoff, the people of the Southern Isles or the people of Arendelle. You will pay for what you've done."

She swiped her hand in front of her face and clenched her fist, making the ice melt. She stepped forward enough to make sure the chain was dry, that he wouldn't be able to snap it like she had done in arendelle. Hans' hands wrapped around her wrists and held her in place. "You can threaten me all you would like, _Queen_ Elsa, but I have men everywhere. You will ever get rid of me. There is some discontented soul in every nation around this world. All I have to do is—"  
"Exploit it?" she asked, jerking her hands away. "You make me sick." She walked far enough way from him and marched to the door. "Guard," she called. She turned back to Hans, looking at him and the smart smirk on his face. She spat roughly, glee filling her heart when she realized that she'd hit her mark and he couldn't even lift his hand to wipe it off. "You will pay for everything that you've ever done," she warned him. "Let me out," she told the guard.

"Yes, Queen Elsa."

She watched to make sure that the door was closed and firmly latched shut, locked up tighter than a drum. "Where are the men who were outside King Alexander's bedroom?" she asked the guard. "They were frozen to the hallway floor."

"Aye, Queen Elsa; they're just over here," he replied. "Forgive me, Your Highness, but I'm not sure if I should be letting you alone with these men. They're hardened warriors."

"And, in case you didn't notice, I'm the ice queen. I'll freeze them before I let them hurt me," she said softly, wrapping her arms around her chest to protect the man before her. She didn't see a reason to pull the gloves back on when she was just going to use her powers again. "I appreciate your concern. Please let me know if there's any update on King Alexander's condition."

"You're a fierce lass, Elsa of Arendelle," a thick Scottish voice said. She twirled around to see Dorsey standing on the bottom stair, leaning heavily on good leg. "Alexander is wondering where you are, Elsa. I thought it might be best if I found you first," he added.

"What do you mean 'find me first?'" she demanded, yanking her globes back on her hands.

"There was nothing we could do to stop him, Elsa," Jonas said, his footsteps thundering down the stairs. He told Henry that he'd run him through if he didn't move out of the way. I'm sure Henry didn't believe him, but Alexander's on his way down the stairs."

"Foolish, foolish man," she muttered, brushing passed both men. "Stubborn, stupid, foolish little imp. Lucas?" She was practically shouted at him when she saw him. "Lucas, where is the brainless oaf you call a king? The snowman my sister and I created when we were children has more sense than Alexander! Where is he?"

"Looking around your room; he's trying to figure out where the hell you are," Lucas replied.

She burst through the doors that led to her own chamber, the door banging against the wall, an icy handprint where she'd had her hand. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she snarled at him. Her hands were shaking. The ice was threatening the very core of her, the fear about to eat her alive. Alexander was leaning heavily on one of the pillars of her bed, his expression twisted with pain. She rushed forward and drew his arm around her shoulders. Blowing ice along her arm, she wrapped her arm around his burned back.

He shouted when she touched him, but quickly relaxed and melted against her hold. "Where were you?" he asked, panting from the exertion of walking down the stairs. "Henry couldn't tell me where you were and I couldn't find any of the boys," he explained.

He leaned heavily on her, his weight nearly crushing her. It was only her determination that kept her from sinking to the ground. "I was just looking into something," she told him. He was shirtless and the towel must have slipped from his skin during his walk. She peered around his broad shoulders and looked at the blood that was pooling in the dips of burned skin and trickling down his back. "You are a foolish, foolish, stupid, stubborn man," she snarled at him. "Lie down before you kill yourself. You may not listen to the healer, but I did. I heard him tell you that you would _die_ if you weren't careful."

"Henry's just overreacting," he said, his eyes drifting shut.

"I thought that he was going to make you go back to sleep. You're more pleasurable company when you're sleeping," she informed him, helping him onto the bed.

"Not on my stomach; please," he begged her softly. "I'm tired of being on my stomach."

"Fine," she conceded, anxious to get him onto the bed. She made a small blanket of ice for him to lie on and helped him onto his less burned side.

"That feels fantastic," he grunted. She created another blanket and cast it over him, tucking it into his back to cool his burns.

"Stupid, selfish, stubborn, boorish, oaf of a baboon," she muttered. Alexander wrapped his hand around her wrist as she stepped away from the bed.

"Stubborn, smart, stunning, brilliant, beautiful lass," he replied. "Lie down, Elsa. I'm sure that you must be tired."

"Your brothers—"

"Will be happy to know that you managed to get me into a bed," he interrupted. "Lay down, Elsa. Let me hold you again. It's the best medicine, I promise."


	30. Chapter XXIX

**Author's Note: First one of the day. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XXIX**

Elsa was petite in every portion of her body. It had taken poking and prodding from him, but he'd finally convinced her to lay down beside him. It had been a struggle to push himself away from the edge of the bed and make room for Elsa, but he'd managed it. "This isn't proper," she'd told him as he slowly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her until her back was flush with his chest. He pressed his thighs along hers and tucked her head beneath his chin. "Alexander, what happens if your brother catches us lying in this bed?"

She'd yawned at the end of her question, making a response moot. Alexander simply fiddled with her hair and waited for her to fall asleep. Her petite body fit perfectly into the shelter of his arms. His chest was so much broader than hers, his shoulders able to engulf her. Elsa rubbed her cheek against the pillow and unconsciously burrowed herself into his arms and chest. Her hair was as soft as silk and bright as white gold. She smelled of fresh air and, faintly, of cinnamon. When he heard her snoring drifting up from her prone form, he knew that she'd fallen completely asleep. Only then did he join her in her rest, thinking that he'd stay in bed as long as Elsa commanded so long as she was stuck in the room with him.

Two days later, however, Alexander wasn't feel quite so cooperative. His brothers had helped him from Elsa's room to his own the morning after he'd rushed down the stairs to find her. His brothers hadn't understood his desperation. He knew that they wouldn't get it until they were older, had someone that they cared about. Without him out there, patrolling the halls and looking out for her, Elsa was unprotected. Sure, his brothers could make sure that she didn't come to harm physically, but it was the emotional damage that he was concerned about. The woman could easily pretend to be strong and sure of herself, but she rarely meant it.

He was getting tired of being locked in the confines of his chambers. He was allowed movement, since Elsa and Henry were so worried about him breaking the blisters open and getting an infection. Other than puttering around his room, he wasn't allowed to do anything. It was the fourth day of confinement when Henry announced that he had to see to a woman in the village who was about to have a baby. Alexander waited impatiently by his window, watching Henry's back until he disappeared out the gate and down the street. Breathing a sigh of relief, he turned around and started for the sheet that covered his door. "And just where do you think you're going?" Elsa asked him, pressing a hand against his bare chest and pushing him back into the confines of his room. "Henry's gone; I'm not."

"I have things to see to," he told her, frustration mounting. "I'm the king of this castle. You can't possibly think that you have control over me. You're locking me in a room. That is mutiny!"

"Mutiny is on a boat; treason is in a kingdom," she said, revealing the tray in her hands. "And you never wanted to be king anyways," she reminded him. He just glared at her, looking at the piece of paper that was balanced between two glasses. "I brought you some lunch. I was thinking that your imprisonment might be more fun if you had a little company."

"Elsa, you and I both know that I have things to do. I'm the King; I can't just let things go on without me," he told her sternly.

She stepped forward and placed the tray on one of the bedside tables, reached beneath her arm and showed him the accounting books pinned between her arm and side. "I brought you the latest numbers from the fishing exports and the harvest," she said. "Liam and Lucas have taken over your training regiments for the guards. Nick, Noah, Sebastian, Ollie, and Jonas have all been out hunting to make sure that our—your stocks stay up. Klaus and Christian have been overseeing the harvest. Tobias and Elias have been running the keep. Everyone's safe. There's been no more attacks. I've moved Hans to a solitary cell in the far tower," she prattled on and on about the things that she'd done, about the decisions that she'd made. She placed the books on the bed, grabbed the tray again, and moved with a natural elegance towards the small table in his room.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing to what he now recognized was a letter on the tray. Elsa busied herself with arranging the table and food. She'd prepared a simple fair for the two of them, with significantly more vegetables than he would've put on the plates. He pulled the parchment from tray, the letter addressed to Elsa from her sister. Why was Elsa bringing him a letter from her sister? "Elsa? What's wrong?" he asked as she poured lemonade from the pitcher to the glasses. She didn't answer him. Between her silence and the knowledge that he was still locked in his room, Alexander felt himself getting impatient. He slid a hand over hers and pulled her towards him. "Tell me."

He held the letter up between the two of them. He didn't open it, not wanting to invade her privacy. Elsa took a deep breath and plucked it from his hands. She strode away from him and opened it; the letter was pages and pages long. "_Elsa, I understand your need to spend more time away from home, especially with Alexander being injured,_" she read aloud. "_But I miss you, Elsa. If you're going to be gone so long, maybe Kristoff and I could come for a visit. I'll get over the boat trip. Don't worry about me. I miss you, Elsa. Please, please, _**_please _**_see if you can't work a little magic. Alexander couldn't possibly be upset if we were to come until you were ready to come home._"

She wrapped the letter back up and looked up at the man standing in front of her pleadingly. "So you wrote back and told her to come, didn't you?" he asked, stiffly sitting down and picking at the greenery that she'd placed on the plate. "Is this even edible?" he asked.

"It's called lettuce; it won't kill you," she replied, taking a seat across from him. "You wouldn't mind if Anna brought Kristoff for a visit? I should warn you that she'll probably bring Olaf. I know that it's an inconvenience, Alexander, but after the Freeze and the Thaw and everything that's happened, Anna is trying to reconnect and—"

"And she's your sister," he said, taking a bite of the chicken. "Write back and tell her to come for a visit. If your men aren't prepared for the trip, I can send a boat to come and get them. The Southern Isles are made of fishers and sailors. My men could keep her plenty safe." He didn't want to think about Elsa leaving, as Anna had hinted. She smiled at him, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "What else?" Elsa blinked, her smile disappearing. "What else is it that you're not telling me? I see it in your eyes, Elsa."

She put the letter down and rubbed at her fingers nervously, munching on her lip as she tried to figure out how to explain it all to him. "Okay, so I don't want you to be mad, but Klaus was trying to trade some furs for some fish and noticed that the fish numbers didn't match the profits in the book. And I'm _really _good at numbers. So…" Her lip trembled with nerves. She took a deep breath, fisted her hands and straightened her arms until he was afraid they might break if she pressed them any straighter. "I looked at the books and found out the Hans has been skimming money off the profits to pay the steward. He's the traitor."

Alexander sat back a little, stunned. He'd been trying to decipher the books the day of the fire. He'd been staring at them for hours and had found nothing. Yet, it hadn't taken Elsa long at all to figure out the plans. Her eyes were still sealed shut, wincing like she thought he would shout at her or strike her. Struggling with the stiffness of the healing burns, he pushed to his feet and gripped Elsa's shoulders. She tensed up, pushing her chest out as she steeled herself. Unable to stop himself, he leaned down and kissed her pert little mouth. "Have I told you lately that you're incredible?" he asked her with his lips against her forehead now.

Elsa unclenched her hands as her gut tightened with desire. Her toes curled in her slippers as she looked up at him. He may be weak and hurt from the burns, but it didn't stop him from looming over her. "Do you still think that there's nothing between us, Elsa?" he asked, his voice husky and deep.

"I was an idiot," she replied. "I'm sorry."

"Good," he agreed, brushing her knuckles along her cheekbones. "Because you belong here, with me." And though Elsa didn't understand it, she'd just proven it to him.


	31. Chapter XXX

**Author's Note: Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XXX**

Elsa leaned over his shoulder and pointed to the figures that had shown her the discrepancies in the accounts. The both of them had finished their food and Elsa had brought the books to his table say that he could see what she'd found. Unfortunately, it was nearly impossible to focus when Elsa's hair, loose and free from its braid, was swinging freely and brushing against his chest. "You see? I think _this_ is where it started," she said, pointing out a number here. "According to the logs from the fishermen, there were over three hundred fish caught that day." Elsa dropped the log book onto the table and pointed out the exact same day. "But the books show profits that would only warrant two hundred fish."

"And that's the first day?"

"That there's been a dispute between the two. So, I went and talked to the steward's wife," she explained, pulling out another little book. "This is her track of their income. The same day that we have this discrepancy, she's showing that Steward Granger got a bonus. From you."  
"I only give bonuses at the holiday time," Alexander mumbled. "How does all of this lead back to Hans?" Elsa got that guilty look on her face again. Alexander was coming to realize that she sported the look whenever he asked her about some decision that she'd made. He supposed that he understood. It wasn't her kingdom and she, undoubtedly, felt guilty about whatever she'd done without his permission. "Elsa, just tell me. I'm sure that you didn't do anything terrible. Just tell me." She took a deep breath and looked away from him, mumbling something underneath her breath. "What? I didn't hear you," he said, wanting to force her to look at him.

"I threatened to freeze him in a block of ice and throw him in the ocean if he didn't tell me where the money came from," she said in one whoosh of a breath. Alexander's chuckles started low in his throat as he thought through her words. He was trying to stifle the laughter, sure that Elsa wouldn't find humor in it like he did. But he just couldn't stop it. He tossed his head back and laughed full throated as her words ran through his head. "It's not funny, Alexander. I threatened a man's life!"

"And he actually thought that you were going to do it!" he managed. "Elsa, you wouldn't hurt a fly. I find it amusing that someone would think that you would hurt him, especially when his innocence was in question."

"I hurt thousands of people just a few months ago, remember?" she said, not at all amused.

"No. You froze an entire country, but no one got hurt. Maybe a few trees that were tossed into winter before they were ready, but no one got hurt. Hell, you didn't even hurt my brother after he tried to kill you. That was your sister. So, I actually find it hysterical that you think that you're intimidating."

Elsa mouth opened in the least ladylike gape possible as she stared at him. "I was intimidating enough to get him to admit that your brother gave him the money," she said, glaring at him. Alexander's laughter froze on his face. "Granger said that he was struggling because his wife was pregnant and couldn't work and you weren't home." It must have been on one of his trips to go and find Zoe. "He couldn't talk to you about needing a loan and he didn't feel comfortable talking to Liam or Lucas. And then Hans appeared on his doorstep with the money that he needed. The only contingency was that when he needed help, Granger had to do whatever hans asked, no questions. The steward said that there's been odd jobs over the years and Hans keeps paying him to keep him quiet and make him do the next job." Alexander frowned now. "The next set of numbers that show the greatest increase are the ones that you were looking into," she continued, pointing to the line that he had, in fact, been looking at before the fire. "I think that Hans took that money as he was getting ready to leave for Arendelle and paid the steward."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure," Elsa admitted, "but Granger admitted that he set the fire to the barn."

"Why would he do that?" he growled, jumping up and ignoring the pain. "Granger has been with our family for…years. He started as steward when my father was crowned."

"I don't know, but he feels sick about it. He's in the dungeon; I didn't want to punish him before you'd had a chance to look into things," she replied quietly. Alexander suddenly wondered what use he was to the world; Elsa had everything under control without him even lifting a finger. There was a part of him that thought that she might even be throwing him a bone by locking Granger up instead of punishing him. "Now, on to happier subjects. The harvest is going well." Alexander took his seat again as she began to explain that their harvest was productive and there had only been minimal damage to some of the pest-infested ones, make her think that they were still tradable. "And then there's —"

"Elsa!" She turned around in time to see one of the brothers running towards the room. "The boys are back from the hunt. They said that there's something they need you to see."

"I'll be right there," she said. "You finish looking over the books and let me know if there's anything that you want done," she added. She stopped beside Christian and placed a hand on his shoulder, raising up on her tiptoes to mutter in his ear. "Find a way to bar the passageway until we figure out what's going on."

"I heard that. Elsa, don't you dare lock me in this room!" he shouted after her. She smiled at him as she backed out of the room. "Elsa, I am serious! You are not—"

"I'll stay here. The carpenter isn't finished building the door yet. I'll have him install it the second that he's done," Christian assured her.

"That—You—Elsa—Christian, you are my _brother_! You are supposed to side with me!" Alexander shouted at the two of them. "I am not staying locked in a tower. I'm not some princess in a fairytale!"

"No, you're much prettier than that, big brother," Christian assured him, swinging the curtain closed and struggling not to laugh. "They're in the Great Hall, Elsa." She nodded at him and swung down the flights of stairs and into the Great Hall.

"Elsa!" the voice shouted as she swung around the pillar at the banister. Her chest was heaving, her heart was pounding, as she tried to figure out what Hans had done now.

"Olaf?" she asked as the snowman came forward and wrapped his stick arms around her thighs, the snow dropping to the ground. "What—What are you doing here?" she asked him, looking up to find Anna and Kristoff standing in front of her.

"I was worried when you didn't respond," Anna said, breaking away from Kristoff and rushing towards her sister. "Don't worry; I left Cookie in charge. You know that she'll do everything that needs to be done." The woman was certainly old enough and had been in Arendelle long enough to know exactly what needed to be done. "But I was worried because I sent that letter and you didn't—"

"I just got the letter two days ago, Anna," Elsa laughed, wrapping her arms around her sister's waist and drawing her close. "There's a certain amount of time that it takes for the letters to go back and forth. And I was waiting for Alexander to feel better; I didn't just want to spring something like a family visit on him. I'm only a visitor myself."

"Och, lass," Moira said, stepping forward with the empty trays from Alexander's room, "we both know you're more than a visitor to my lad."

"Moira, now is not the time to have this argument again," Elsa said, practically exasperated. "Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, this is Moira. She's the woman in charge around these parts."

"You wouldn't know it from the way she's been bossing people around," Moira muttered.

"Moira, this is my sister Anna and her… and Kristoff and our…snowman, Olaf," Elsa managed, trying to think of the right terms for everyone.

Olaf leapt forward and smiled at the plump Scottish woman. "Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" he told her, waving his stick hand in front of his face.

"Your snowman?" Moira said, shaking her head. "Hi, Olaf, Kristoff, Anna," she said, nodding to each of them. "Elsa, I think Christian requires your help upstairs. That lad is roaring like a wounded lion."

"Of course he is," Elsa muttered. "Moira, could you show these three to the Great Hall while I go subdue the royal pain in my rear?"

"Elsa!" Anna gasped, shocked to hear her sister.

"We'll catch up in just a moment," Elsa assured her, squeezing her arm again. "I'll be right back."


	32. Chapter XXXI

**Author's Note: Okay, I did my best! LoveisanopenfridgeXD I tried really hard to get it up by 8:30, but I can only type so fast. Enjoy, everyone!**

* * *

**Chapter XXXI  
**"Christian, I swear on _your_ life, let me the hell out of this room or I'm going to have to kill you!" Alexander shouted for the millionth time.

"And here I thought that you were going to keep me safe," Elsa asked, pushing her hip into the doorjamb and staring at him with narrowed eyes. "What is your issue, Alexander?"

"What if it was something bad going on? What if Hans had escaped?" he asked her, his lips curled back in a snarl. "You could have needed me and I wouldn't be able to get to you because I'm locked in the damn bedroom."

She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "If I really needed you, don't you think I would've gotten to you?" she asked him, barely managing to keep her her attitude in check. "There was nothing serious downstairs. Your brother returned home and found that my sister, Kristoff, and Olaf have all come for a visit. Anna didn't realize that it was going to take longer than a day for me to respond to her letter and was worried. But since you've already told me that it was okay for Anna to come for a visit, I suppose you don't care about that."

"Your sister's here?" he asked, a little shocked.

"Yes; now if you'll stop all your pouting, I'll bring her up here to say hi," she replied. "After you get dressed." He didn't miss the way that her gaze drifted down to his bare chest and waist, her cheeks tinging red before her eyes jerked back to his face. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and check on my sister and her friends. We'll be up in ten minutes, so you should get dressed," she repeated.

She left him to go back downstairs to the Great Hall. Kristoff was digging into his meal, but Elsa immediately noticed that Anna wasn't doing anything more than playing around with the meat and pasta on her plate. "Tobias, Elias," she called softly. "I have to speak to my sister. Keep Kristoff busy, if you would." There were ten men in the room to distract Anna's…person. "Anna!" she called a little louder. Anna's head jerked up from her plate and met Elsa's, questions in their depths. "I wanted to show you the…the chapel that I wrote to you about. The stained glass is beautiful. If you're done eating, of course."

"That sounds great," Anna replied, stumbling down from the head table platform and smiling at her sister. They walked in silence out the castle gates and into the courtyard. "I don't think I've ever seen you so at home," Anna finally commented. "I thought you might be enjoying yourself, but I didn't know for certain. You weren't very descriptive in your letter," she whispered.

"I didn't know what to say, Anna," Elsa admitted in a louder voice. "You and I used to be so close, but we're not kids anymore. We have…things to figure out and we need to reconnect. In retrospect, leaving you and Arendelle wasn't the smartest idea. I just… I don't know, I needed to get away. The people there didn't want me around and you know it." Elsa shook her head. "The two of us need to be close again, Anna. I've been holding back from you and I'm so very sorry for it."

Anna jerked back and stared at her sister. "Maybe you should have come here," she said, one eyebrow crowding her eyelid. "What's in the water? Are they hypnotizing you?" she asked.

Elsa laughed and smiled at her baby sister. "No; but you should see Alexander with his brothers. I mean, he's almost like their father, but not. He's the king, but at the same time, he's just a man. His brothers each have their own jobs and responsibilities. They know that they can come to him with anything. It's the greatest thing that you've ever seen. They're…they're such dorks and so funny together. I want us to have that kind of relationship, Anna. I want you to feel like you can talk to me about anything and know that I'll always be here and love you."

Anna snorted a little. "Kind of hard to do after being shut out for years," she muttered.

"I know; and I'm really sorry about the things that I did to you when we were kids. I was scared then and after the Thaw, I told you and everyone else that I wasn't afraid anymore, but it was a lie. I was terrified of what would happen if I lost control of anything, or any part of me. I wasn't afraid of my powers anymore, but I was afraid of myself." Anna looked like she hadn't expected Elsa to be so forthcoming. "So…how was your trip?" she asked, looking to her sister and bumping the girl's shoulders.

"I spent the majority of it hanging over the railing. And Kristoff spent the majority of it holding onto me to make sure that I wasn't going overboard," Anna replied. "Is Alexander okay?" she asked, seeing the charred remains of the stables behind the castle. "I was terrified when you told me that there was a fire and everything had burned down."

"Alexander is fine," Elsa said, rolling her eyes. "Other than having a minor case of cabin fever and some burns that we're trying to prevent infection in, he's fine."

"I can understand the cabin fever," Anna said. "I used to talk to the paintings on the wall."

"You were locked away for years. He's been locked in his chambers for a few days. He's just pouting; it'll be fine," Elsa said. "Actually, he's just upstairs and anxious to see you. Come on." She took her sister's hand and dragged her back towards the castle.

"What about the chapel?" Anna asked, liking to see the carefree side of her older sister.

"You'll be here for at least a week," Elsa replied. "You'll see it then." Anna smiled as she was herded up the stairs and towards the master chamber. "Alexander, I gave you more than enough time. We're coming in now," she said at the doorway. When the deep voice called back at her, she lifted a sheet away from the threshold and let Anna walk in. Then she showed her sister to the salon.

If Anna hadn't been told that Alexander had been injured, Anna never would have known. He looked like himself, except that he didn't stand when she walked in. "Princess Anna! How are you?" he asked. "As you can see, your sister is one whole piece. There's no reason to be concerned for her."

All Anna could think was that she was right. She didn't need to be worried about Anna's physical wellbeing. Something had happened to Elsa's heart in the days that she'd been in the Southern Isles. The strange thing was, Anna was happy to see her sister smiling and laughing and enjoying herself. Being herself. "I think that Elsa will be just fine," Anna said, smiling at her sister.

* * *

The moon was high in the sky when Anna tossed around in bed for the millionth time. She sat upright in bed and lit one of the candles on the bedside table. Elsa had ordered her sister to have a bedroom just down the hall from her own. Anna held the candle high and walked down the hall on bare feet, sucking in a gasp when her soles left the furs in exchange for the stone flooring. From the hallway, she could hear Kristoff snoring in his own bedroom. Elsa's door stood open, like she was prepared to have to fly up the stairs into the other bedroom; Alexander's bedroom.

"Elsa?" she called into the depths. Elsa turned her head, looking away from the windows to find her sister looking at her. "What are you doing awake?"

"I could ask you the question," Elsa retorted. "And since I'm older, you have to answer first."

"The sky's awake…" Anna tried, but the two of them laughed so loudly in the middle of the sentence that Kristoff's snores actually stuttered. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

"You want to know the honest truth?" Elsa asked her. Anna nodded vigorously. "Moira said something to me the day Alexander was burned and I can't get the words out of my head." Elsa patted the spot on the little couch she was sitting on, tucking her feet underneath her. She swirled her fingers in front of her, making shapes with frost on the windows. "Moira told me that I was in love with Alexander."

The both of them fell silent, watching the moonbeams streak through the window. "Are you in love with Kristoff?" she asked suddenly, turning to look at the sister who was curled up against her side.

"I think so," Anna said honestly. "I'd like to say yet, but…I just don't know. After Hans, I'm not sure that I'm the greatest judge of character. Plus, I haven't see him pick his nose."

"Pick his nose?"

"And eat it."

"What?" Elsa asked, laughing at her baby sister.

"Kristoff swears that all men do it." The two of them sat there, giggling like they had when they were little kids. "Are you in love with Alexander?" Anna asked when the giggles subsided.

"I don't know. I think I've been alone for so long that I want to be in love with him. I'm just…I'm not sure," Elsa admitted, resting her chin on her knees. Anna did the same thing, the both of them staring out the window. Pursing her lips, Elsa raised her head and looked up at her sister. "Do you want to build a snowman?"


	33. Chapter XXXII

**Author's Note: My goodness, you all are turning into greedy monkeys (It's a term of endearment; I swear!). Just remember that I'm not a machine; I can't write all day long (trust me, I'd love to). Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XXXII**

The two of them were wrapped in little more than robes when they exited Elsa's appointed bedchamber and lunged into the hallway, laughing like they were three-year-olds again. They were at the staircase when Elsa heard the shouting from above. It wasn't just her name being called; she was used to that. This was pain. Someone was in pain. Not someone; Alexander. "What was that?" Anna asked in confusion. Elsa didn't stop. She spun around swiftly and started towards her room again. "Elsa, where are you going?"

Elsa took the staircase and took the stairs three at a time to Zoe's chamber. She didn't pause to look around or stop to see what the young girl had been like or if they boys had updated it in her absence. She flung Zoe's door aside and rushed down the hall, shouldering her way through the gathered men. "We thought you were in there," Liam said as she shoved him apart from his twin. "We weren't going in because we didn't want to make you…uncomfortable," he explained.

Alexander was on his back, thrashing as his burns were scraped against his sheets. They may have felt soft to her touch, but against his blistered, charred skin, they probably felt like the pads the women used to scrape out the dirt pots and pans. He was kicking, screaming, trying desperately to escape the prison of his bed. "Send for Henry, if he's available," she instructed, practically jumping on the bed and scrambling across the mattress. "Alexander, stop this. Now!" she shouted at him. His arms flailed around his face as he fought off his invisible foes.

"Elsa, he might strike you by accident!" Lucas warned when she narrowly ducked his fist. "Let us wake him."

"Find Henry; he's probably burst a million of those blisters now," she grumbled. She grabbed hold of his swinging fist and clutched it in her hands. "Alexander, it's me. It's Elsa." She forced his fingers open and pressed his palm against her cheek. "You're with me, not in the fire." His hand tightened in her hair, the tugging almost painful. "Come on, Alexander. Wake up; look at me. You're with me," she repeated over and over again. His chest was covered in sweat, his hands buried in her hair. She leaned over him, pressing her forehead against his and waiting for him to relax beneath her.

"Elsa, Henry is on a different island," one of the brother whispered behind her. "Delivering a baby still; he won't be back for a few more days."

Elsa tried to twist her head, but even in his sleep, Alexander didn't want to let her go. "Elias, go to Henry's cabin. There's a jar of salve that he puts on burns. It will ease your brother's pain and help him sleep," she instructed, unable to do anything other than stare at Alexander's closed eyes. "Tobias, Christian, help me roll him over again," she added. "We need to get him off his back."

Anna stood back, stunned that Elsa was taking charge. Her sister was generally meek and tried desperately not to be seen by people. Sitting on the bed, clutched desperately in the arms of a man who she barely knew, Elsa was giving out orders and snarling at any man that wasn't listening to her. Elsa rubbed her thumbs along Alexander's wrists and willed him to let her go, only for a moment to get him off his burns. "Trust me, Alexander, trust me, please," she told him, clutching his wrists a little tighter before letting go.

Alexander's hands slipped down her face as his hands relaxed, but his back still stayed stiff. His spine was bowed, like he was trying to keep his skin from the bed. Tobias and Christian gripped his shoulder and hip, respectively, and rolled him to his side. "Not onto his stomach," Elsa said sternly. "He hates being on his stomach; says it hurts his neck to keep his head cocked to the side. We'll stuff some pillows behind his back, the short ones. That will keep him from rolling onto his back." Noah and Nicholas stepped forward and began shoving the pillows against his back, trying to tuck them deep enough that they wouldn't hurt.

Elsa draped ice over the pillows, hearing Alexander sigh when his skin made contact with them. "When Elias gets back with the salve, I'll need to put you onto your stomach," she told him, leaning so close her lips were brushing against the shell of his ear. "But it will make you feel better, Alexander; I swear."

"I don't understand," Lucas was saying, leaning against one of the posts of the bed. "He hasn't been like this. He's screamed and shouted, but nothing this severe. What was different about tonight?"

_I wasn't in his bed,_ she mumbled to herself. "Everyone go to bed," she said. "I'll stay right here with him. Sebastian, um… Go and find Dorsey and Moira. Let them know what's going on." When the boys nodded and everyone disbursed, Elsa looked up to find Anna still standing in the doorway.

"You still don't know?" Anna asked her, watching her sister round the bed again to check on Alexander's back. He groaned and tried to move away, but Elsa was too persistent.

"Don't know what?" she replied, looking at the blisters that had popped. "God bless it, Alexander. You said that you were going to be careful. Infection and death, remember?"

"Death?" Anna asked, her eyes wide.

"Don't worry, Princess," Alexander mumbled. "I'm not going to die. Elsa and Henry are just being stupid."

"Careful," Elsa warned. "My hands are on your back and I could make it hurt if I wanted to."

Alexander smiled, his back burning like a thousand torches were there now. "Like you would," he grumbled. "You're too sweet."

"You're too dumb to behave and lay down in this bed," she retorted. "What don't I know, Anna?"

"Nothing," Anna said, afraid that Alexander would hear her. "Nothing. I'm going—"

"Anna! Anna, what's going on?" Kristoff asked, sliding down the hall in only his linen sleeping pants. "Are you okay? Is Elsa okay?"

"We're fine," Anna assured him. "Come on, we're going back to bed. Elsa's got her hands full here." She smiled at her older sister, waved her hands in farewell, and started back towards the staircase.

"Did I tell you that you're stupid today?" Elsa asked the King, looking at the blood that falling from where he'd scraped the newly growing skin away.

"I don't think so," he replied. "Have I told you that you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen today?"

"You say it every day, even if I don't believe you." She laid a chilled hand on his shoulder to cool one of the few burns that had popped or become exposed. Alexander shivered, the combination of her skin and the blanket too much for him. "I'm sure that it must be cold," she said quietly, using her robe to dab at his skin.

"Cold's never bothered me much anyway," he told her. "I didn't mean to wake the entire castle. My brothers didn't realize that you'd slept upstairs tonight."

"I gathered that," she replied. "What happened?"

"I was stuck in that damn barn and the fire was everywhere. And then Hans was there and he was holding you, threatening to throw you into the flames," he sighed heavily, hating that his own baby brother haunted his nightmares. "I have the dream every night, but before tonight, you've been right here in this bed. I woke up and you weren't hear. I wasn't thinking clearly."

"Yeah, well, if you die because you opened the blisters, I won't be going to your funeral," she muttered, standing and coming around the bed again to kneel down in front of him. "Promise me that you'll be more careful." He nodded, tired once again. He was tired of being tired all the damn time. He needed to be out in the kingdom, taking care of the needs of his people. Winter would be there before they were ready. If he wasn't talking to the people, he wouldn't know what needed to be done before the snow set it. "I'm going back to bed, Alexander. I promised my sister a tour of the keep tomorrow morning."

She pushed to her feet, but Alexander caught her wrist again. "Stay Elsa; please," he begged her, not above it. It sucked to be so reliant on a woman when he knew he had other things to do. Things like finding his baby sister. "I only have you for another week, Elsa." With a reluctant sigh, Elsa helped him scoot back and let him wrap his arms around her. It didn't take Alexander very long to fall asleep, the ordeal having zapped his strength.

She sighed when she heard the rumbling coming from his chest and felt his arms holding her tight. She'd known him for a total of three months; she wouldn't say that it was sufficient time to be in love with him. "I don't know, Alexander. I just don't know."


	34. Chapter XXXIII

**Author's Note: I don't know about the rest of you, but it is FREEZING in my town today. I look like a human burrito, wrapped up in any blanket I can find. Anyways, that's my rant for the chapter. Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Chapter XXXIII**

"But you didn't _see_ them together, Kristoff," Anna argued, leaning over to snatch a berry from his plate. "It was so weird, like he _needed _her or something. And you should've seen Elsa. She was giving out orders like she…like she was…"

"Like she's a queen?" Moira asked, walking into the Great Hall with her own plate. She was going to eat swiftly and go upstairs to drag Elsa down before the woman wrung herself dry. "Aye; your sister is falling into her roll quite well. She's a strong lass."

"She wasn't two weeks ago," Anna muttered, lifting her tea to her lips to take a sip. Moira cocked her head and looked Elsa's sister. Their facial features were similar, but other than that, Moira didn't really see a similarity between the girls. In the weeks that Elsa had been in the Southern Isles, Moira had heard little about Anna, only that the two of them were trying to reconnect. "Elsa says that you're the woman to see around here when you have questions."

"Anna, don't," Kristoff warned, but he might as well have been shouting at a deaf person.

"Is my sister in love with King Alexander?"

"She doesn't listen," Kristoff muttered to himself, knowing that he'd be roundly ignored by the women sitting at the table. "But when she says things like, 'stay outside while I enter the ice castle' even though ice is my life. But don't worry; she can't listen to me if it will save our lives."

"Kristoff," Olaf whispered, "are you talking to yourself again? Because I don't see anyone in front of you."

"Sven would understand," he grumbled. Olaf began spouting something about Sven and carrots, but Kristoff stopped listening to him and turned his attention back to Anna.

Moira didn't say anything to the young princess. For every piece of Elsa that was terrified of being herself, there was a piece of Anna that was afraid of being left alone again. The older woman strongly suspected that it was why Anna had fallen so swiftly for Hans' ploy. The girl was so desperate for some kind of companionship, for someone to love her, that she was willing to fall in love with the first boy her age who'd looked her way. The girls both needed a mother to be there for them, to teach them the basics of being a woman.

"Where's my sister?" Anna asked, picking a nut off Kristoff's plate this time. "Shouldn't she come down for breakfast?" she continued, looking anxiously at the entrance of the Great Hall.

"Elsa's been taking her breakfast with Alexander the last few mornings, Princess Anna," one of the brothers told her. "My brother's been a little bit unmanageable lately and your sister seems to be the only one who makes him shut his mouth long enough for the rest of us to get some peace."

"All right," Kristoff said, dusting off his hands and narrowed his eyes at the speaker. "Which one are you? I'm going to say…Christian?"

"Tobias," the speaker replied. "Christian is out at the archery fields."

"There are too many of you," Kristoff informed him.

"Says the man who could tell trolls apart when they're rolled up as rocks," Anna muttered. "Can I go and see my sister? I'm sure that King Alexander won't mind at all if I go up there." Moira thought of the two of them, wrapped up in each other's arms and snuggled up like kittens in need of warmth. Alexander would certainly mind if the visiting princess barged into the room.

"I can go see if the two of them have finished," Moira volunteered. "I can send Elsa down to you, Princess Anna," she added. Anna noted that no one in the entire kingdom of the Southern Isles seemed to call her _Queen_ Elsa, she was just Elsa. Maybe the title wasn't as important as she'd thought it was. When Anna gave her a nod, Moira stood and turned to leave the hall. She'd have to stop by the kitchens first and find some food for the king and queen, first. And then she was going to have to talk to them about their predicament.

* * *

Alexander had woken up an hour earlier, but couldn't bring himself to wake up the bundle wrapped in his embrace. Some time during the night, Elsa had turned around and burrowed herself into his arms. Her arms were folded up between them, her dark lashes fanned out over her pink cheeks. Her lips were plump and parted, her warm breath whispering across his bare chest. It tugged at his heart to know that he could have this, he could have her, every morning for the rest of his life.

Letting her go back to Arendelle was going to be near impossible. He couldn't let her leave, nor could he leave his country to go after her. He couldn't ask her to stay; that wouldn't be fair. She had a country to run, just like he did. It was painful to know that he only had a few more days with her, that she'd be leaving him shortly. He gathered her close, telling himself to cherish what moments they had left of her visit, telling himself that his injury was a blessing. But it was hard to be positive when he knew he was going to have to let her go.

Elsa slid her slender leg along his, tucking frigid toes between his calves. He sandwiched her feet between his legs to ease the thaw. "You're making this really difficult for me, Elsa," he told her. She wiggled a little, burying herself in his arms. He worried that she was going to wake up, that he'd stirred her just a little too much. But Elsa calmed down, giving a little snore. Her hair stuck up at all ends, the strands that had been smoothed and coiffed now disheveled and, truth be told, messy.

And yet, despite all of that, she looked adorable. He wanted her for the rest of her life. "I'm falling in love with you, Elsa. I don't know what we're going to do, how this is going to work, or even what to do about it. But we're going to have to figure it out." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, enjoying the feel of her beside him.

* * *

When Elsa finally made an appearance downstairs, Anna was more than a little worried. Her sister may be unsure what she felt for Alexander, but Anna knew what it was. It was love. There was nothing else to question. She could only wonder what leaving the Southern Isles would do to her older sister. She was almost afraid that Elsa would revert back into her shell.

So, for the next few days, she observed the two of them together. Alexander took his meals in his private chambers. Elsa was usually with him. When Elsa wasn't in the room, she was walking around the keep and kingdom, checking on things that needed to be done. Anna was sure that Elsa didn't notice the way her eyes lit up, the way her face brightened, the way that she changed when Alexander was brought up in a conversation or brought into a room.

Anna was, also, sure that Elsa didn't realize how observant her baby sister was. She saw Elsa go into the King's room every evening, claiming that she was just going to check on his burns. She also saw that Elsa never came out of his room. "Moira, I want to know what's going on," Anna demanded, barging into the woman's hut when there were only two days left in their visit.

"Aye, please come in, Princess. I see your upbringing hasn't helped your manners any," Moira said, laughing lightly at the woman in front of her. Anna blushed and looked down, having the good sense to be abashed. "I suspect you're talking about your sister and Alexander, lass?"

"Aye— I mean, yes," Anna said. "They're in love, aren't they?"

"Aye, they're in love," Dorsey said, groaning as he pushed to his feet, his peg leg swinging wildly for a moment or two before he found his balance. "But the lad is stubborn, determined he needs to find that sister of his before he can find a wife." Moira nodded her agreement. "Och, and don't even get me started on the lass. I thought Alexander had the cornerstone on stubbornness, but then I met your sister. She's afraid to be in love with him."

"Yeah; you have to be stubborn in order to keep people out of your room for fifteen years," Anna muttered.

Dorsey tossed his head back in obnoxious laughter. Moira rolled her eyes and tucked a strand of grey hair behind her ear. "I like you, lass. You aren't afraid to say what's on your mind," he told her.

Anna turned to Kristoff, her hands on her hips. "See? I told you people think it's a desirable quality," she told him.

"Right alongside picking your nose and eating it," Kristoff replied, tugging lightly on one of her braids. "Just leave the two of them alone; they'll figure things out just fine on their own."

"Aye. See, Moira? The lad has the right of it. Let the two of them figure out their own feelings," Dorsey said, clapping Kristoff on the shoulder.

"There's no law that says that we can't help them out a bit," Moira said with a devious smile, meeting Anna's gaze over the table.

"No law in Arendelle, either," Anna said, licking her lips a little.


	35. Chapter XXXIV

**Author's Note: Taking a minor deviation for this chapter. You know the drill: the more reviews, the sooner y'all get a new chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XXXIV**

Anna was sitting at the table, watching the brothers devour their food, thinking that they were stuffing food into their mouths as though they'd never eaten before. Moira was seated beside her, pouring juice into her husband's glass as though they were sitting at their own breakfast table. It was almost strange the way that Moira tended to her husband. Anna knew that it was the way that things were supposed to be, but somehow she couldn't imagine wanting to tend to someone that way. Not that she needed to; Kristoff was completely self sufficient.

"So," Anna whispered, leaning over to whisper into the older woman's ear. "What are we going to do? This is the last day that they have together. We leave tomorrow morning. Letting them sleep in hardly seems like enough to make them both admit the truth."

Dorsey covered his wife's hand and squeezed, leaning forward and smiling at her. "Maybe you should be more concerned with your own love life, lass," Dorsey suggested. "When was the last time that you went out and did something with your own lad?" he asked.

"Leave the lass alone, Dorsey," Moira said. "We want our loved ones to be happy, especially when we already have our own happiness."

Anna had thought that she would like Dorsey, too, especially after his comment about speaking her mind. But his constant nagging about minding her own business and letting Alexander and Elsa make up their own minds was getting irritating. Especially when it was his wife that was helping her. "I don't know how you put up with him," Anna muttered, lifting the eggs on her fork into her mouth. "Is he always so demanding and such a nag?" she asked Moira. Dorsey had turned away and was speaking softly to one of the brothers about something or another. Moira served herself and her husband bread rolls, smiling at the young girl.

"You know that it's possible to be married and have your independence at the same time, don't you lass?" Moira asked, looking at Anna's pinched, frustrated face. "Is that why you're not pursuing your own lad?" she asked her cocking an eyebrow. Anna frowned at her.

"No," she said, shaking her head and trying to figure out her next lie. "It's like you said. I'm happy now, so I want to make sure that Elsa's happy too."

"Dors, I'm taking the young lass for a nice little walk to the docks. We'll pick up some honey on the way," she said, leaning down and kissing her husband's cheek. "Kristoff, you should see if Ollie and Jonas won't take over to the ice pond."

"Ice what?" Kristoff asked, the food practically falling out of his mouth.

"Come, lass; the boys will keep him plenty distracted while the two of us talk things through now," Moira said, tugging on the girl's arms until she came willingly down from the dais. Moira kept their arms linked together and led them out the castle gates. She noted that Nick and Noah trailed after their, but didn't come close enough to hear them speaking. "What is it that you're afraid of, Anna?" she asked the girl, striding through the village, towards the docks and marketplace. "Come now, lassie, I'm not an idiot. The men in that room may be blind enough not to see your fear, but I saw it in your sister and I see it in you. Tell me."

"Did you see Hans as being a conniving, sniveling excuse for a man when he was younger?" Anna asked, blurting out the thoughts in her head. "I think I was afraid of being alone again. For fifteen years, my sister shut me out of her life. My father's biggest concern was making sure that no one knew that Elsa didn't have control of herself. And my mother…I don't know; she was just—there." Anna sighed. "The day of the coronation ball, I was so excited to see the gates being opened again. I even dreamed about finding _the one_. I was running around the village," she sighed. "When I ran into Hans, I was in love with the idea of being in love. I just wanted someone to give me company. In retrospect, letting him sweep me off my feet, telling him all of my crazy secrets, and accepting his proposal was stupid. I understand _now_ why Elsa said no," she whispered.

"Now, you're afraid of getting too close to your lad because of what Hans did," Moira filled in. "And, if I don't miss my guess, you're afraid of doing things for him or him doing things for you because of your mother."

"My mother was a great woman!" Anna protested.

"Aye, lass, I'm sure she was. But by your own admission, your mother was just there. She didn't say much. She didn't do much for you. I'm sure that she was wonderful and kind, but I think that you blame her for keeping you and Elsa apart. You're afraid that if you rely on him for anything, you'll lose that feisty independence," Moira continued. Anna's stride slowed a little as they continued through the village. "Come on," Moira urged. "Don't worry; you're not so visible to everyone else."

"But you saw through things that I didn't even realize I was having a problem," Anna pointed out.

"Aye, but only because I'm a woman. Men are good for many things, but their emotions aren't one of them," Moira giggled. "Giving yourself over to a man, Anna, it doesn't take away who you are. It makes you stronger. I hang around my husband and do things for him not because it's duty, but because I love him. Likewise, Dorsey does things for me. Do you know that the man used to travel year round? He was on a boat fifty weeks out of a year. When he met me, he stopped. The sea is in his veins, but he gave it up because I'm in his heart." Anna smiled at her. "That's true love, Anna. It's not about what you get from the other person. It's about what you give them and what you're willing to give up to make them happy. I'd give up everything for Dorsey. And he'd give everything for me. It doesn't make you weak; it makes you doubly strong."

"I thought we were scheming for my sister?" Anna asked. Moira turned the two of them into a small shop, pretending to look around at the honey. "I was thinking about what will happen when we leave," Anna continued, feigning the same interest. "The two of them love each other, even if they won't admit it."

"Aye, but absence makes the heart grow fonder," Moira said, deciding what jar of honey she wanted. "And sometimes writing can be more powerful than speech."

"Letters," Anna realized. "I can convince Elsa to write him letters."

"And Dorsey can be quite a poet himself. He used to write to me from all across the world when he was working, before his accident. He'll convince Alexander that he needs to write, lest the lass forget about him," she said with a wink. "And a secret moment between the two wouldn't be remiss," Moira added.

"I've seen those boys," Anna said. "There's no way that they would leave them alone for a moment or two."

"Don't worry about that," Moira replied. "I'll see to the boys.

* * *

Moira readied for bed that night, taking the pins out of her hair. It had been forty long years of marriage, days that had their ups and downs, years that had been more difficult than others. If there was one thing that Dorsey never tired of, though, it was watching his wife ready for bed each night. She was nearly sixty now, and yet he still loved to watch her hair tumble about her shoulders and know that he was the only man in the world who got to see it. Tonight, however, she was distracted by something. Her mind was working a mile a minute.

"Are you're going to tell me what's troubling you, wife?" he asked her, leaning down over the back of her chair, wrapping his arms about her waist, and pressing his face into her neck. "We both know that I'm not of any use until you tell me what's going on in that bonnie head of yours."

"I was just thinking about Anna and Kristoff," she said quietly.

"I thought the two of you were scheming for Elsa and Alexander," Dorsey muttered, feeling his wife's hands wrap around his arms and leaning her head against his shoulder.

"We are," she sighed. "Anna and I are plotting to lose Elsa and Alex in the crowd so they can have their private goodbye. But I am trying to figure out a way to help Anna overcome her fears," she explained. "That reminds me!" She was out of her chair and facing her husband before she could forget what she needed. "You need to convince that lad to write to Elsa while she's gone. See, I am thinking that—"

Dorsey cut off his bonnie little wife by pressing his lips against hers and drawing her soft, plump form against his chest. "You can finish your scheming in the morning, Moira," he said. "I have need of you at the moment."


	36. Chapter XXXV

**Author's Note: New toys for writing come in on TUESDAY! I'm so ridiculously excited, it's not even funny. That's my way of saying prepare yourselves for Wednesday and Thursday. Chapters to come (cough, cough, sneeze, sneeze) and more ****drama! Enjoy and review!**

* * *

** Chapter XXXV**

"I'll walk you down to the docks," Alexander said when the sun was cresting the hills. Elsa had dressed in a new gown of her creation and was standing at the windows, looking out over his land. The sun was silhouetting her beautiful form, shining off of her silken hair. Letting her go was getting more and more difficult by the moment. "I guess you not having a trunk makes traveling easier," he tried to joke. Elsa's twitched in a small smile, but he could see that she didn't want to leave either.

If he didn't know that they both had responsibilities, he would recommend that she stay. But he couldn't ask it of her. She had a kingdom to run and a sister to reconnect with, just as he had a kingdom to run and a sister to find. Heaving yet another sigh, probably the millionth time that day, Alexander held out a hand to her. Elsa didn't even hesitate; she slid her hand right into his and let him pull her towards the door. Elsa withdrew her hand from her pocket, the jar of salve in her palm. "You should get one of your brother's to put it on whenever they hurt," she whispered.

"I'll do that," he promised. The moment felt too much like a goodbye. He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but a goodbye wasn't it. Their countries were neighbors. They would see each other. They had to see each other. "Come on; the guys are going to walk all of you to the docks to say goodbye. We should get going before any of them catch you in the bedchamber."

"Right; because they haven't figured out that I've been sleeping in your room after a week and a half," Elsa said, smiling halfheartedly at him.

He closed his fingers around hers, not even bothering to place her hand on his arm. He didn't care about propriety and social dictates. He cared about having a connection to her, about holding her. "Alexander! Alex!" Dorsey shouted, lumbering up the stairs, his leg swinging with each step he took. "Alexander, lad; the two of you are needed in the byre. It's urgent!" the old Scotsman said, his breath heaving wildly. "They said Princess Anna was kicked by one of the milk cows."

Alexander tightened his hold on Elsa's hand to give her a little piece of comfort. Elsa held her skirt aloft and followed only a step behind him, sprinting like her life depended on it. Alexander worried he might be tearing her arm from her socket, but if he was, she didn't say a word. "What was your sister doing in the byre? She doesn't know anything about cows?" Alexander asked her, but his voice held no blame, only concern for a sibling that wasn't his. Elsa simply shrugged, adjusted her grip on her skirt, and followed him into the courtyard. Kristoff lumbered out of the byre as they approached, holding a bundled Anna against his chest.

"Something must have spooked the cow," Kristoff said. "I'll take her over to Henry's and see if the old woman knows anything that can help us."

"Anna—"

"You should check on Moira," Anna gasped, feigning her pain and tucking herself into Kristoff's embrace. "She was kicked too."

"Let me see your injury, Anna," Elsa demanded.

"Moira hates milking," Alexander muttered. He released Elsa's hand to sprint into the byre at the same time that Kristoff dropped Anna to her feet, keeping her cuddled in his arms. Elsa stepped forward to check on her sister. Anna's hands found her sister's shoulder blades and gave them a mighty shed, sending Elsa stumbling into the byre. "Moira, why are you running?" Alexander shouted as he heard Elsa gasp. He wheeled around in time to see Elsa landing on her arse in a pile of hay. The latch was thrown shut on the door in front of them, barring the entrance from the outside. "Are you okay?" he asked, reaching down to help her up. Elsa nodded, stretching out her joints from the brief impact.

Moira stood framed in the other entryway, a knowing smile on her face. "Don't think I didn't see you two that first day," she said, holding onto the double door. "If anyone asks, the two of you are seeing to an ornery cow who had a nail in her hoof and nearly took out the princess. As a precaution, King Alexander, you've decided to check all the cows' hooves for nails. You've no more than ten minutes," she said, slamming the doors shut and throwing the latch. Not that the two of them were going to walk away from the only chance they would have to say goodbye to each other.

The beguiling woman. "It would seem, Queen Elsa, that we've found ourselves with a few moments to spare," he said, smiling at the girl still on the ground.

"_Queen _Elsa?" she growled at him. He smiled at her and extended a hand to help her to her feet. "You know how much I hate that, _King _Alexander."

"Don't we make quite a pair," Alexander muttered. He'd helped her to her feet, but didn't release her. He tugged until her body was flushed with his and then only wrapped his arms around her. Elsa folded her arms in the small space between them, resting her palms against his chest and feeling the thundering of his heart beneath her palm. "Neither one of us wanting a title, both of us having one." Her sad smile at his words touched his heart. "God, Elsa," he muttered, hauling her closer and trying to swallow her with his arms. "I wish you didn't have to leave. I wish that you could stay a little longer or that I could come back with you."

"I know," she sighed, her hands slipping around his waist now. "But we both know that I need to go home. The only person back in Arendelle in charge is our cook. I've been gone for too long. I need to take care of my people, Alexander. Just like you need to take care of yours." Alexander pulled back to look at her, realizing that waiting for Zoe to come back was easier when he hadn't had Elsa. "You're too good of a man to leave them when they need you."

Keeping one arm wrapped around her waist, he brought the other hand to her cheek. He was heartened at the way that she leaned into his palm, lightly rubbing her cheek against his calluses. "Promise me that you'll write to me the moment that you return to Arendelle, Elsa," he pleaded. "I need to know that you're safe." She nodded, looking up at him with crystalline blue eyes. "And if you need anything, Elsa, anything at all, promise me that you'll tell me. Please." He could practically hear his strength crumbling as he begged with the woman to give him what he needed.

"The same goes for you," she whispered, arching her back into his embrace. "If you need us or find anything about Zoe, all you have to do is write. We'll figure it out." He wanted to believe in the unspoken _together_ that he heard at the end of her statement. Elsa sighed, wishing that she could change something, anything between them. She wished that she didn't feel something for him. She wished that she could stay or that he could come with her. She wished that she could be bolder, more outspoken.

_ Well… Why the hell not?_ she asked herself. She'd poked at his pride and made fun of his every dictate at every turn. Why couldn't she say what was on her mind? "Alexander?" she breathed.

"Hmmm?"

"Are we really going to spend the last few minutes we have alone…_talking_?" she whispered. Realizing what kind of woman she'd just sounded like, she looked down at the hay scattered ground and licked her lips.

Alexander smiled and tipped her chin up, forcing her to look at him. "Oh, lass," he said, picking up on Dorsey's influence, "I thought you'd never ask." He stroked his thumb over her cheekbone, watching her eyelashes flutter closed and feeling her lean her weight into him. He touched his lips down on hers, hesitant in a kiss for the first time in his life. He hadn't even been this worried the very first time he'd kissed a woman.

Elsa melted against him instantly, her lips taking hold of his. Confidence building, he pushed her back a ways until her back came up against the wall of the stall. Her hands clutched at the back of his shirt, caught somewhere between pulling and pushing. He dug both his hands into the downy softness of her hair, pulling apart the stitches of her braid and setting her hair free of its confines. The two of them were so close, you could hardly tell where one body started and the other stopped.

"Okay, come on you two," someone shouted, banging on the barn doors. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, Alexander recognized it to be a Scottish voice, but he was still so lost in Elsa, he wasn't even sure what planet he was on. "Laddie, the boat has to leave if you want the lass to make if home while the tide is still good." While he could be sure that she would be safe. "Now, Alexander."

He broke away from Elsa; he couldn't even call her the girl of his dreams because he hadn't even dreamed of her. He wanted nothing more than to drag her back into the castle and force her to stay there with him…but he couldn't. Elsa sighed against him, tucking herself into his chest. "We're coming," he called back to Dorsey, resting his chin atop her hair. "I messed up your hair a bit," he muttered.

"Don't worry about it," she replied. He waited for her to right her hair again before taking her hand. They walked in silence to the docks, both looking at opposite sides of the street. At least she wasn't embarrassed that she'd kissed him this time, not like she'd been that first time.

The boat was swaying in the water, still in the port, when the two of them got there. Elsa stopped before Alexander did, staring at the boat and wishing that there was another option. Her mind raced, trying to figure out what she could do to stay or drag him with her. "You're welcome in the Souther Isles whenever you feel like taking a boat trip," he muttered beside her, staring at the vessel that would take her from him.

"And you can feel free to pop by Arendelle whenever you have two weeks to spare," she breathed, swallowing the tears. She'd known the man for a few months; she shouldn't want to cry at leaving him. "I should go," she added, taking the step forward.

Alexander didn't release her hand, though. He spun her back into his chest and crashed his mouth down on hers. "This isn't goodbye, Elsa," he muttered against her mouth, not caring who saw. "You'll write to me, and I'll write back. We'll see each other again. I promise."

"Alex, they have to leave," Liam said softly, leaning into his brother's ear discretely.

With arms crossed over his chest, Alexander watched Elsa walk away from him and onto the boat, going immediately to the railings. She gave him a soft wave, a sad, small goodbye. All Elsa could think was how different it was to be on a boat this time. She leaned over, bracing her forearms against the railings as the ship shoved away from the docks. Anna came up beside her, rubbing her sister's arm. "Are you okay?" Anna asked, her stomach already roiling.

"Fine," she whispered. "I'm sure," she added before Anna could ask.

"Okay," Anna said, realizing that her sister was shutting her out again. "Well, I'll be over here—barfing. Kristoff's here, too—if you need us," she whispered.

"Kay."

Alexander stood at the docks, watching the boat drive farther out to see. "Are you going to tell me, lad?" Dorsey asked, wrapping his arm around Alex's shoulder and leaning on him to compensate for the uneven cobblestone.

"What happened in the byre? Sure; the day you tell me what happened in the hayloft when you were seventeen," Alexander retorted.

"Out with it lad," Dorsey coaxed. "It does no good to keep it all bottled up; you know that well."

"Am I making a mistake, Dorsey? Letting her go?" Alexander asked, feeling his heart clench uncomfortably.

"No, lad," Dorsey replied, squeezing the king's shoulder. "You're the king. You have to be here for your people. You spent four years gallivanting the seas, looking for your sister. And your people suffered because of it. You have to be here now; at least until the spring. And Elsa has to do the same."

The older pirate clapped the royal on the shoulder and turned around to find out what his wife was looking at. Catching her ogling things at the jewelry stands was the only way he knew what to buy her when her birthday rolled around. Alexander stared at the ocean, at the boat that was getting farther and farther from them. "Then why does this all feel so wrong?" he murmured.


	37. Chapter XXXVI

**Author's Note: Okay, there'll be a response tonight and (maybe) another chapter if you guys send enough reviews. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XXXVI**

_Dear Alexander,_

_ We made it back to Arendelle without any trouble. The kingdom was waiting for our arrival when we got back. I think you might have been right about my needing to leave; everyone was so much more receptive. I didn't receive half of the glares that I was before I left. So, I guess that's just another thing that I have to thank you for. I guess that the list of things that I owe you isn't long enough already. I suppose that I'll just have to say thank you in every letter._

Elsa lifted her pen and rested it along the inkwell, making sure that none of her ink splattered on her paper. It was strange that her hand was shaking and tears were filling her eyes just from writing to him. She hadn't even been home an hour. She'd walked straight from the docks to the castle, barely pausing to wave to people and give promises that she'd be back to talk about their issues. She rushed up the staircase to her own bedroom and sank down at the writing desk to draft her first letter. It was strange the effect that five days alone had on him.

_The trip back from the Southern Isles went as smoothly as could be expected. I almost wish that I had taken you up on your offer to have Dorsey take us back, though. My men were good enough crewmen and made sure that we got home safely, but I would've felt much better if you or Liam or Lucas or Dorsey had been with us. I'm sure that Anna would've,too. Apparently, the sea doesn't quite agree with her. She spent the majority of the trip leaning over the railings and clutching at Kristoff to keep her from falling into the ocean. Olaf couldn't care less where we are, though. He was singing the entire way home. _

_ Sven practically tackled Kristoff when we got off the boat. I don't think I've ever seen a man be more loved by an animal. Anna says that the two of them have been together since Kristoff was little more than a child, that he found Sven after his mother was shot by some hunter or another. I just couldn't imagine having something that loves you so unconditionally, to have a friend no matter what. _

_ But, I'm sure you didn't want me to write to you to hear about my family and friends._

Elsa licked her lips, trying to figure out how to get the next words down on paper. She wasn't even sure if she should say it to him. Telling him her feelings was one thing. Somehow, writing them down seemed so much more intimate. There was no way to out of the words once she'd written them down on paper and sent them to him. If she just _said _the words, she could always claim that she hadn't actually said them before.

_I miss you, Alexander. I miss getting to talk to you and teasing you for being such a stubborn, stupid, oaf. I wish that there was a way for me to come back to the Southern Isles for a trip, but apparently, all the work didn't stop while I was away. I've come home to a world of needs. A lot of the villagers are saying that they need wood and blankets if they're going to keep their houses and children warm for the winter. Our stables have a leak in the hayloft. Half of our hay stores for the winter went bad because of mold and mildew. I don't know what we're going to do, but I'm sure we'll figure it out._

_ I haven't stopped to look at our harvest numbers and I know that our hunt didn't go as well as we expected it to. Have I mentioned lately that I'm tired of being the queen? Things are so much easier when I don't have to be in charge of everything around me. I'm sure that you understand. It's hard to have people to take care of. People who rely on you to take care of them, to make sure that they have food and warmth and storage and safety. It's frustrating, especially when you're not sure about what you're supposed to be doing._

_ The weird thing is, everyone expects me to take over. For three years, when my mother and father passed away, the kingdom ran itself. My parents had people in place to take care of everything. But now that I've been crowned, they expect me to make the decisions. It's as if they've all gone brainless in the last few months of me being in charge. Funny, right? You would think that they would be wary of me, especially after the Freeze. I'm just a freak to them. _

It wasn't what she had meant to say, but somehow, it was what she'd needed to say. Or…write. She'd needed him to know what she was thinking and feeling. He'd always seemed to understand it and know the right words to say to make it all feel so much better. Dipping the tip of her pen into her inkwell again, she pulled her second sheet of paper from the sheaf. It was strange that she couldn't think of more than a few sentences to say to her sister, but she couldn't imagine a point where she could _stop_ writing to Alexander.

_I was hoping that you could do me a favor. And before you get on a boat and start sailing for my side of the ocean, let me just say that it's not what you think. I was hoping that you could give Moira a letter for me. I guess I didn't realize how pleasant her company had become until I was stuck on a ship for five days. For a long time, she was the only woman in a household of men, save the serving women that I didn't get to know._

_ Speaking of serving women, have you talked to Ollie about Emily? I know that you think I'm crazy for it, but I swear to you that there is something there, Alexander. The two of them are in love, or at the very least, in like. I don't know what you can do about it, but hopefully you can figure something out. I know that he cares about her and, more importantly, I know that you care about him. If you want for your brothers to be happy, then you have to do some of the emotional stuff, too. I know that it's hard for you and you don't want to, but I know that you have to. _

_ Five days isn't a long time to be away, but you and I both know that five days on a boat is a million days of soul searching and thinking. I should probably go and see to things with the villagers, to make sure that people are okay. _

_ I miss you, Alexander. I hope that you'll write back to me. _

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Elsa_

She couldn't think of another way to sign off the letter, not without him knowing that she was consumed with thoughts of him. She folded the pages that it had taken to get the words onto the page into thirds, pouring the heated wax onto the paper's edge. She waited a moment for it to cool before she pressed the seal onto it, the crest of Arendelle glaring back at her. "Elsa?" Anna's voice called from the other side of the door. "Please, I know you're in there."

"Come in, Anna," she called, stashing the letter in her desk drawer and turning to look at her little sister. "If you ask me if I'm okay again, I will find something to throw at you," she warned. It was the only thing that Anna had asked her for the entire journey home. Anna smiled at her and sank onto her sister's bed.

"I wasn't going to ask. I was actually going to see what your plans were for the day," Anna muttered, looking shy.

"Why?" Elsa asked.

"Well, because you have things to do and I want to make sure that you don't need me or Kristoff or—"

"I was asking what you're doing, Anna. I can figure out how to get through the day without you attached at my hip," Elsa interrupted. They had been trapped in confined spaces for five days. They needed some time apart. "What's planned out on your day?" she asked.

"Well, Kristoff—"

"If you say he's proposed, we're going to have to talk about boundaries again," Elsa warned.

"Why? I've known him for _months_ now!" Anna shouted. "Not…not that any of this matters. No, Kristoff has not proposed. He just wants to go and visit with his family. You know, check in on them. We've been gone for a few days to check on my family. So now we have to go and check on his."

"Go, go!" Elsa said, waving her sister forward. "Go and have a little fun." Anna bounced forward and kissed her sister's cheek, promising that she'd tell the trolls hello for her older sister. Elsa waited until she'd heard the door click shut to turn back and grasp at the letter. She stood at the window of the castle, looking at the boat that was waiting to return to the Southern Isles with their trading good. "Please write back, Alexander. Please, please," she begged.


	38. Chapter XXXVII

**Author's Note: I meant to put this up for you guys during my lab class today (Shhh... Tell no one you read that) but my phone died. Anyways, here it is. Just a note, if it's not in italics, it's not written. You'll understand!**

* * *

**Chapter XXXVII**

"Alexander! Alexander!" He wheeled around to see his younger brother loping towards him on horseback.

"Jonas, you're going to kill yourself!" Alexander shouted back when he heard the horse's hooves smacking against the cobblestone. "Have I taught you nothing, brat? You can't sprint like that when your horse has shoes and your on the stone. You horse will slip, imp. Do you know what happens when your horse slips? You get knocked out of the saddle."

"And you _die_," Henry said, jumping up behind them and clapping his hands on his friend's shoulders. "You're going to die because you don't take care of your wounds in time. Your brother is going to die because he gets careless when he gets excited." As Henry spoke, Jonas lifted his hand over his head and waved something that he was clutching in his hand. "All of you are going to die. Oliver's dying if he doesn't learn to aim with that damn bow of his!" he added, jumping to avoid the arrow that speared the ground at their feet. "And I'm going to be the one to kill him. Oliver! Those are my best boots!" Henry began chastising, walking towards the younger man.

"What is it that you're so excited about, Jonas?" Alexander asked, gripping the horse's reins to make sure that the animal didn't unseat his brother. "You're going to kill yourself, boy." Alexander's brothers had all noticed the frustration in their brother's voice in the nine days since Elsa's departure. The entire village had noticed, if everyone was to tell the truth. Alexander was never a cruel ruler, nor did he abuse his power. But his temper had gotten shorter and the peace that he'd had when Elsa was around had disappeared.

"It's a letter," Jonas panted, sliding from the saddle and handing over the papers. "It came from a boat running Arendelle's flags and the crest is the queen's." He braced himself on his knees and took in a deep breath, swallowing to moisten his throat again.

Alexander nearly ripped the papers in his hands in his haste to open the letter and read whatever she'd written to him. "I'll be in my room," he shouted to his brothers over his shoulder, not bothering to listen to the remarks that came from behind him. His fingers clenched around the parchment, but he knew that he wanted to be able to write back to her the moment that he finished his letter. _I miss you, Alexander. I hope that you'll write back to me. Sincerely Yours, Elsa_. His. She may not have meant it that way, but she'd acknowledged herself as his. He dug a sheaf of paper out from his desk and dipped the tip of his pen in the ink.

_Dear Elsa,_

_ I'm glad to hear that you've made it home safe. I know that any of the brothers would tell you that I've been more than a little unreasonable in the last few days. They think that it's because you left, but it's because I hadn't heard from you. I was worried about you…on a boat… by yourself. But I'm glad to hear that you got back to Arendelle, even if Anna had to suffer some sea-sickness. And don't act like you're so unaffiliated by the open water. I seem to recall holding your hair back a time or two. I even dove into the ocean to save you from yourself. Not that you needed me._

_ I'm glad that your people were more receptive to your arrival from the Southern Isles. I was worried that they might see your visit as you leaving them, running away. Especially after you chose to stay with me another week after the accident. Sometimes people don't understand. And with what happened right before you left, I will have to admit that I was afraid that you might be met with tomatoes or something. _

He reread her paragraph about feel unconditional love, about being so connected with something or someone and knowing that they were going to care for you no matter what. He chose not to address it. If he did, he might reveal a little too much. No; he had to ignore it and move on to her next statement.

_I like hearing from you, Elsa. Whether you tell me about your trip, your sister, your people. I don't care. Everyone needs someone to talk to. I've never really had that before. I have to be strong for my brothers. I have to be strong to find Zoe. If I'm not, then Weselton can get in. He can exploit the weaknesses that I don't even see. But it's great to have someone to talk to and I don't want you to think that you can't talk to me. You can tell me anything; I swear._

His eyes demolished the words that she wrote about missing him, about teasing him, about wanting to come back. Heavens knew that he wanted her to come back. He hadn't been able to sleep in nine days. He woke up every night with the same nightmare that Elsa was in danger. Some nights, she was in the flames. Some nights, he saw her in a dungeon alongside a six-year-old Zoe. Those were the dreams he knew weren't real. Zoe was sixteen, not six. When he saw the two of them together, it was easier to dismiss. But it didn't stop him from jerking awake and reaching out for the body that wasn't there.

_I miss you, too, Elsa. I won't say that I miss sitting there and arguing with you. You were much more amiable after the fire. Maybe it was burns, but I'd like to think that you realized what a pain in the arse you were being. There's no way the work stopped while we were distracted. I realized after you left that I didn't have as much to deal with as you will. You took excellent care of me and my kingdom after the fire and I greatly appreciate it. Locking Hans away in his own tower was something that I wouldn't have thought of. _

_ As for the needs of your villagers, I'll send you some furs and some dried fish. If you're willing to send just a few more barrels of ale and vegetables, I could send another pallet of shingles fresh from the carpenter. He made more than we have use for. They might as well be useful to someone. Like I told you before, if you have need of anything, just write to me. I think we'll have some extra dried venison and beef. I can send it to you. It should provide the workers with adequate lunch._

_ I know what you mean about have people rely on you. I've been dealing with it since I was sixteen. For years, even while I was gone, the people relied on me for anything and everything that they needed. The difference for you is, my people never learned to deal without me. My father's death was so sudden. I was making decisions through mail. If I didn't make them, Liam or Lucas did. There were never people set in place to take charge until I was crowned. I don't even think that I've ever been formally crowned. And I definitely didn't realize how great it was to have someone else make the decisions for me until you did it, Elsa. _

Strange to think that everything could change in so short an amount of time.

_I'll let Moira have your letter and I'll be sure to send hers back with my own. The ship isn't nearly as confining as you make it out to be. I'm pretty sure you never said that you felt smothered when we were "imprisoned" together. I'm sure that Moira is anxiously waiting for your return to the Southern Isles, even if it's only for a visit. She doesn't have many women around her, as you've pointed out. As for Ollie and Emily, I haven't looked into things between the two of them, but I promise you that I will. I don't know if I would ever say that they're in love, but they have been friends since they were children. I'm more concerned that Emily is after the title that comes with being a princess or that Ollie is taking an infatuation and making too much of it. I'll keep you posted._

_ Nine days is a long time to go without seeing you face to face, Elsa. Most especially when you and I used to see each other every single day. After all, it was more than two months that we were together for. I've hidden myself in my chambers to finish reading and writing. I should probably go and make sure that the boys haven't burned the newly rebuilt stables down. God knows what other trouble they can get into. Henry keeps informing me that we're all going to die. _

_ I miss you, too, Elsa. _More than you'll know._ As long as you keep writing, I'll keep responding._

All my love.

_Yours,_

_Alexander_


	39. Chapter XXXVIII

**Author's Note: Chapters for reviews! I'm contemplating holding the chapters hostage!**

* * *

**Chapter XXXVIII**

The days turned into weeks. The weeks turned months. Time became measured by letters and how long ago they'd received them. There were times when Alexander actually wished her could just fly to Arendelle and talk to her. Especially since he knew that winter was setting in and it would be easier for her people to remember the cold that she'd inflicted on them. He could only hope that she didn't come to any harm when the cold finally took hold and autumn became winter. With each letter, he found himself confiding in her more and more.

He told her about any sighting that he'd had of Weselton, about how he thought he might be getting closer to Zoe. Their gift this year hadn't been a letter, but it had been an artist's rendition of his baby sister. _She's beautiful, Elsa. And she looks so much like our mother, I almost didn't believe that it was Zoe. But the birthmark is there upon her collarbone. I think that I might have to go and take her instead of waiting for her to be ransomed. She's been stuck with those monsters long enough. I need to rescue her._

Besides, once he had Zoe back on ally soil, he could have Elsa. He still hadn't figured out how things were going to work for them or how they were going to be together, separated by the responsibilities of their countries, crowns, and titles. But he was going to find a way for it to work, even if it killed him. Because having Elsa so far away from him _was_ killing him. Waking up in the morning without her face lying in his shoulder, without her curves pressed up against his side, without her breath fanning across his chest…that was torture.

"The sailors fished something out of the ocean today," Tobias told him, leaning against the doorjamb and folding his arms over his chest. "I thought you might like to see it."

"I've told you _and_ Elias a million times: mermaids are not real. It was just a story that I used to read to you guys at night," he muttered, agitated and frustrated that Elsa's letter was taking so long to get back to them. He'd written to her more than a week ago. Following their pattern, her letter should've returned to him the previous morning. There had been no sign of a ship running Arendelle's flags, though. "I'm not going down to the docks to look at the evidence that you guys have found."

"But Alexander—"

"No, Tobias," Elias interrupted, tugging on his twin's arm. "We'll simply go back to the docks ourselves. After all, if Alexander doesn't want to see the trunk bearing the crest of the queen of Arendelle was found in one of our nets, then we won't bother him."

Alexander shot to his feet. "Elsa's trunk was found?" he demanded.

"Oh, sure, he's interested in that. Tell him there was a mermaid found living in the trunk and he wouldn't care. But Elsa's name is mentioned—" Tobias began.

"Oh please, you just have to mention Arendelle," Moira said. "I hope you know that I blame you lad," she added, handing over a letter.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay with Elsa?"

"The lass is fine, but I just realized that I never got to have her over for dinner. And for that, lad, I blame you," she said. "Because of your idiocy and inability to trust the lass, you got yourself burned and Elsa spent the entire trip tending to your wounds. She didn't even get to see my home." Moira prattled on and on about the injustice of not seeing Elsa or getting to serve her a real meal. Alexander slid his finger along the seal of the paper and pulled the wax from the parchment.

"It's from Princess Anna," he muttered, more to himself than to the rest of his family. Strange; he'd never received a letter from Anna before. The woman had very little to say, in fact the letter was barely a paragraph. It was simply the see how he was doing and inquire as to whether she and Kristoff could come for another visit in the spring.

He would consent to anything, even put up with nosy, noisy Anna, if it meant that he could see Elsa again. "Put that in my room, Noah," he said, handing over the letter. "I'm going to see about this trunk. Tobias, Elias." He didn't need to do more than nod at them. Both boys turned around and followed him down the staircase to the docks. "Was there anything in the trunk?" he asked as they walked.

"We haven't opened it yet. It feels really light, though," Elias replied.

"Dorsey thinks that the current must have opened the trunk and swept everything that was inside away," Tobias added.

Alexander knelt down on the deck of the boat that he'd boarded and fingered the ornate carving of the trunk, Elsa's crest carved into the top of it. "This must be the trunk that she was bringing with us for the voyage," Alexander concluded. Despite the thick current, the lock was still tightly shut. "Get me some metal cutters," he called over his shoulder. "The blacksmith should have some thick enough to cut through the bolt." Nicholas nodded and sprinted away from the boat. "If the current swept her clothing away, the lock would be closed. Unless we're dealing with some unknown force."

He cut the lock and lifted the the lid of her trunk, feeling the damp wood against his hand. "This wood isn't wet enough to have been washed out to see for the last five months," Liam muttered. He nudged Alexander aside and took his place, bringing Lucas down beside him. The two of them began muttering to each other, looking at the panels that lined the bottom of the trunk.

"It's not a false bottom," Lucas muttered after he'd slid his knife's blade along every side. "You don't think there's a false bottom on the sides, do you?"

"No, but look at that in the corner. There's something there," Liam pointed out. Lucas pressed the tip of his knife into corner and scraping until the piece of fabric clung to the tip and came out for them to see. "It's dry."

"What does that mean?" Alexander asked, worried about Elsa's safety.

"It means that someone more than likely stole her trunk and opened it, took out whatever she'd packed, and then tossed it to the ocean. I don't know why they've kept it for so long. The ice is beginning to melt; it's almost spring. Why would they keep her trunk for that long?"

"Weselton," Alexander growled so darkly, even his brothers flinched away from him. Weselton knew that he was spending time with Elsa. This was his way of sending a message. Elsa wasn't safe. It wouldn't matter what he did now; Weselton was going to threaten the only other person that he had in his life that wasn't family.

"But…Why send it to us?" Klaus asked.

He couldn't answer that, not without putting Elsa in more danger. If he told his brothers that he was falling in love with Elsa, that he wanted to figure out how to make a relationship work between the two of the, he had no guarantee that it wouldn't get back to Weselton. "Elsa cut all ties with Weselton after the Duke tried to have his men kill her," Alexander snarled to himself. "Dorsey, ready a ship. Moira, if you're wanting to come with us, you best pack your trunk," he added, his strides eating up the distance between him and the castle.

"Where are we going, lad?" Dorsey asked.

"Klaus, I want you to go and see that the men stay with their training regiment. We're going to be fighting…soon. We need to make sure our regiments are ready. Noah, Nicholas, I need the two of you to see to the villagers. Mingle, find out what they need and make it happen. Write to me if you have any questions about anything."

"Are you taking two of them as guards?" Moira asked. "If you truly think that it's Weselton coming after you and that he's after Elsa, then you'll need to take a few of your brothers, lad."

"Aye; I know it. Christian is needed here to train the men in archery," Alexander pondered as he pounded the pavement towards his castle, brushing passed his people and straight for his tower. "I'll take Ollie and Jonas. Sebastian, you can take over watching the prisoners. I don't want Hans out of that tower. Are we clear?"

"Yes, but Alexander," Klaus interrupted, "where the hell are you going in such a rush?" he asked, gripping his brother's shoulders to keep him still for a moment.

"I have the queen's chest. It's obviously important to her and needs to be returned," Alexander explained.

"Aye…"

"In person, Klaus."

* * *

**Author's Note Cont.: Just kidding; I could never be so cruel. Still, reviews are always appreciated! By the way, feel free to speculate about the trunk. I love reading what you guys think is going to happen**


	40. Chapter XXXIX

**Author's Note: Prepare yourselves for the drama! Reviews are always appreciated! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XXXIX**

Elsa licked her lips and stared at the ice that was drifting apart on the seafront. It was no secret that her favorite season was winter. She loved the cold and the wind and the ice. Winter was beautiful. It was the only time of year when the world was practically covered in glitter. The snow shimmered in the light, the ice gleaming like crystals in candlelight. But now, March had rolled around. The snow was melting in rivers, flowing down the hills and mountain sides. The ice that had blocked off most of the ports in Arendelle was cracking, splintering, drifting apart.

She'd sent a letter to Alexander two weeks earlier, but had yet to be given a reply. "He's probably just busy," she muttered to herself as she slowly took the stairs to the courtyard. She'd kept the front courtyard frozen for the fun of it. It was a regular occurrence to see the children skating out there, enjoying the fact that the sun couldn't melt away what their queen had created. "It would make sense. He's a king for goodness sakes. I can't expect him to drop everything every time that I write to him."

"Do you make a habit of talking to yourself?" the blond man asked, stepping into line besides the queen.

"Good afternoon, Kristoff. How are you?" she asked, biting back her startled response. "If you're looking for Anna, I think I saw her heading down to the—"

"I'm actually here to talk to you," he interrupted. "I was thinking that you've never seen what I say. As Arendelle's ice master and delivered, I want you to know that you've got the right man for the job."

Elsa balked and frowned at him, thinking back to the day that she'd given him the job. Even Kristoff knew that the title wasn't a real thing. "With all do respect, Kristoff, I know that you're doing your job. Even you said that ice is your life. I'm not too concerned about you failing to do your job." She might have been if summer was closer and she didn't have the ability to create enough ice to freeze the country forty times over. "I need to go and see to the renovations in the new cabins, Kristoff. I'm sure that you can do your job more than adequately."

"I _know_ that I can do my job, Elsa," Kristoff said with a laugh. "But that's not what I need your assistance for. It's just what I'm telling you so that anyone listening will think that you are being a responsible queen," he muttered quietly into her ear. "_Please_ come with me." Hearing the franticness in his voice, Elsa sighed and nodded. "It's a far walk; I brought some water with us."

"Where are we going?"

"To the ice house," Kristoff replied. He could think of no where better to impress Elsa and beg her for her consent. They were coming up on a year of knowing each other, a year of being together. "It's a little walk, but I think that you'll appreciate it." He may be in love with Anna, but Elsa was one of the few people in the world who would ever understand his love of ice. Elsa simply nodded, sure that she could handle whatever trek through the forest that they would go on. Whatever Kristoff had to say to her was clearly of vital importance. She could only hope that it wasn't something that was threatening the life of her sister. Surely Kristoff would tell her right away.

By the time they made it to the "ice house," Elsa couldn't remember a single time that she'd been so winded. He braced a hand on her hip and heaved, swallowing gulps of air as swiftly as she should. "Maybe you should sit down, Elsa," Kristoff suggested, not having realized just how difficult the climb was. It was one that he was used to making every single day. The sled would only take him so far and, in the summer, the sled was no good at all. "You look like you might pass out. Or…vomit."

"I don't look that bad," Elsa retorted, taking a final gasp and looking up at him. "What is this place?" she asked.

"It's my ice house. Grand Pabbie made it for me when I was fifteen," he explained. "It's enchanted, so it stays cool year round. It's where I store most of the ice that I harvest in the winter."

"You _harvest_ ice?"

"I don't know how else to explain it. Anyways, it's a good place to come to be alone, to…think," he explain. Elsa smiled and took another deep breath. "Oh, here, here," Kristoff stuttered, realizing that he had been stupid in holding the water jug on his belt. "It's pretty cold. The jug is from Pabbie, too. He made it to keep my water cool all the time." Elsa thanked him in a quiet voice and tipped the canteen to her lips, swallowing the fresh spring water, icy cool as Kristoff had promised. "Anyways, you're probably one of the few people who would understand this place. And I thought that it might get me some points with you."

"Points? I don't…I don't understand," Elsa said, even as she felt her heart rate climbing. She handed the water back to him and crossed her arms over her chest, taking deep even breaths to calm her heart.

"I want to marry your sister," he said in a hurry. "I know that I haven't known her very long, but you have to know that I love her. _And_ she's known me a lot longer than a day. I mean, I'm a million times better than Hans. At least she knows things like my last name and the color of my eyes." Elsa smiled at him, feeling the world begin to spin around her. "I want to marry her, Elsa. I know that I have nothing to offer her. She's…she's the princess after all. Elsa, please; I'm begging you. I will literally get down on my knees and—"

"Kristoff," she gasped, her heart beating so rapidly, she was sure that it was showing in her neck. "You—you can m-m-marry my sister." She was gasping for air again, like she couldn't quite get the breath into her lungs.

"Elsa, are you okay?" Kristoff asked, kneeling in front of her and resting a hand on her shoulder. "You look a little flushed."

"I." Elsa swallowed against the bout of nausea that bubbled in her throat. "I—I'm fine, Alexander… Kristoff," she gasped. "I'm fine Kristoff."

"Maybe we should go back down. You really don't look well. Here," he said, handing her the canteen again. "Take another drink."

"Right; water. It'll make everything better," she managed, her heart slowing to a normal rate. She took a slow breath and another sip of the sweet, icy water. "I think that you and Kristoff…I mean, you and Anna are perfect for each other." Her brain was completely muddled. She tried to hand him the canteen, but her hand was shaking so badly, she could barely manage to lift it. "And you've known her for almost a year, which, as you said, is far better than the day she knew Hans for."

"Well, that and he tried to kill you." Kristoff tried to joke, but Elsa didn't even try to laugh. "Elsa, are you sure that you're okay? Let's get you home."

Elsa toppled sideways off of the barrel that she had perched herself on. Her entire body was convulsing. "Kristoff," she begged in a soft voice, though it wasn't him that she wanted. "S-s-s-something's not r-r-r-right," she stuttered. She didn't realize that she was just lying on the ground, shaking and not saying a word. The only sounds escaping her lips were moans.

* * *

Alexander stepped off of the boat to find Anna and Sven standing at the docks. "What are you doing here?" Anna asked. Alexander smiled and scrubbed the girl's hair with his palm. "I'm not one of your brothers. A hug works better than messing up my hair." He gave her a side hug, anxious to find Elsa instead. "What are you doing here, Alexander?"

"I got your letter about wanting to come for a visit," he explained. "Where's Elsa? I'll explain on the way."

"My king?" Alexander spun around to see Arendelle's captain of the guard walking towards him. "Queen Elsa is at the ice cabin with Kristoff, Your Highness."

"Why are they there?" Anna asked. Dread seeped into Alexander's gut.

"I need a horse. Anna, do you know where the ice cabin is?" he asked, wheeling around to face her.

"Sure, and Sven can take me," she replied. "But Alexander—"

"I really want to see your sister; that's all," he said. "Please, I need a horse!" A guard brought one forward for him, holding the animal and swinging up into the saddle. Anna pulled herself onto Sven's back, clenching her knees. Ollie and Jonas must have called for horses as well, because the four of them loped off through the forest as swiftly as possible. Alexander didn't even wait for the horse to come to a complete stop. He even slipped in the melted snow that had created mud, but didn't care.

"Kris—" her voice drifted off, her body spasming on the ground.

"Elsa?" he shouted, falling to his knees on the stone floor. "Elsa, can you hear me? What did you do to her?"

"Kristoff wouldn't hurt her!" Anna shouted in defense of him.

"I didn't do anything to her!" Kristoff added. "I brought her up here for…" he cast a nervous glance at Anna, "for something. I gave her some water because she was winded from the walk. That's all that happened, I swear!"

He cupped Elsa's cheeks in his palm and pressed two fingers against her neck. "Elsa, calm down. You'll make your heart stop. You'll kill yourself. I'm here now; it's Alexander. I'm here," he promised her.

"Give me the canteen!" Jonas snarled, his voice trembling. After he'd taken Alexander's advice, he'd found a place in his heart for Elsa. She was his other sister and he wasn't about to let her die. Jonas snapped the strap that was holding the water jug. He twisted the lid from it and dumped the water upside down, watching it pour out.

"There!" Oliver shouted, leaning down to look at the leaves that fell from the depths of the jug.

Alexander was aware of them behind him, but he was only focused on Elsa. She rolled around, putting her back to him. The retching sounded terrible to his own ears; he could only imagine what it felt like to her. "Elsa, I'm right here. It's me; it's Alexander," he whispered, brushing her hair back from her face.

"Alexander!" Oliver boomed so loudly, Alex was forced to turn around and look at his brother. "It's hemlock."

"I don't even know what that is!" Kristoff shouted. Alexander was finally aware that Jonas had pinned the princess's boyfriend to wall, glaring and snarling dangerously at him. "I swear, I wouldn't hurt Elsa!"

"What's hemlock? What's going on?" Anna demanded. "What's wrong with my sister?"

Alexander gathered a shivering Elsa into his arms. Her pulse had slowed to almost nothing, just as was common with hemlock. "She's been poisoned."

* * *

**Author's Note Cont.: I like Kristoff, so don't go jumping to any conclusions. Feeling free to post your opinions and predictions. (Please!)**


	41. Chapter XL

**Author's Note: Back by popular demand! WARNING: this chapter is a little...upsetting. If you have a weak constitution, you've been warned. Review!**

* * *

**Chapter XL**

Alexander took hold of his horse's reins before realizing that he couldn't possible mount the horse, hold the girl, and ride like the devil to the castle. He had to get her help before her body gave out on her. He'd seen too many soldiers die from this kind of poison. "Let me take her," Oliver said, tossing the hemlock plant away from him. Jonas stooped to grab the plant, not willing to let any piece of it out of his side. He wanted to make sure that no child, no unsuspecting forager, found it.

Reluctant, Alexander transferred a now still Elsa to his brothers arms and leaned down for her. Oliver lifted her high, grabbing the horse's reins while his older brother settled the queen across his lap. "Moira went straight to the castle!" Oliver shouted after him, but Alexander was already urging the horse into whatever came beyond a gallop. Elsa was jostled and bounced around in his arms, but he wasn't going to let her go. He just needed to get her back to the castle, back where he could help her.

Thankful for the well trained horse, he wrapped his reins in one fist and pressed the other against her neck. Her heartbeat was elevated again, the pulse against his fingers matching the thundering hoofbeats beneath him. "I'm going to make it okay, Elsa," he swore to her. "I'm going to get you better, but you have to stay with me." He didn't come this far, travel for days under the pretense of returning a trunk or even protecting her, to lose her now. "Please, stay with me. You're going to be okay, Elsa." The forest path that he was taking finally widened, the cobblestone clacking against his horse's shoes.

* * *

"Alexander, please, make it stop!" she was begging him, but he didn't seem to be hearing her. "It hurts." Her stomach felt like it was being shredded by razor blades. She wanted desperately to vomit, but something was stopping her. She wasn't quite sure what was going on in her brain, but she just wanted to die. She wanted the pain to end. Her heart wouldn't stop racing, even when she told herself that she was fine. She was going to be fine. "Please, someone, just let me die. It all hurts too much. Just let me die."

* * *

"I just want to die," Elsa moaned against his chest, her body going rigid. "Please, let me die."

"Like hell I'm letting you die," he growled, seeing the castle's gates come into view. "Open the gates! I have Queen Elsa; she's been poisoned. Open the gates!" There was nothing stopping him from banging the gates down. He would, if he had to. He needed to get her inside the castle, into her own room. He only had a few more minutes before it killed her. "Open the gates!" He must have sounded desperately enough, because the guards didn't even question his command.

He came to a screeching stop in front of the doors that led to the stairway closest to Elsa's bedchamber. He braced his hands on Elsa's shoulder blades to lower himself to the ground first before dragging Elsa down with him. Without stopping his forward motion, he began calling out orders behind him, as if Arendelle was his keep. "Find me Moira! I brought her with me from the Southern Isles. Find her." He didn't hear footsteps behind him. "NOW!" he bellowed so loudly, the walls of the castle shook and tremble.

He took the stairs at least three at a time, but he wasn't really counting this time. He laid Elsa down on the very edge of her bed, rolling her to his side. From her convulsions, he knew that she'd only just started feel the effects of the poison before he'd arrived. He had little less than ten more minutes, if he was cutting it close. "I'm here lad," a breathless Moira called into room. "I was inspecting the kitchens when you— What happened to Elsa?"

"Hemlock."

"She ate hemlock? It doesn't grow in Arendelle," Moria muttered.

"She drank it; Moira, what do I do?"

"You have to make her vomit, lad. Her body's already tried to do the job, if I don't mistake the smell. We have to make sure there's nothing left in her stomach," she instructed. "I'll send you Ollie, to help hold her down while you do so. I need to go to Cookie and gather the remedy in case the toxins went further than her stomach." Moira saw the desperation on Alexander's face, the desire to protection and the fear that he couldn't save her. "If you want your lass to live, you've got to do it, lad; no matter what she says."

Elsa's shudders had started again, which would explain why Moira said he needed Oliver. Alexander gripped her shoulders and kept her steady on her side. "I promise that, when all of this is done, you can freeze me to the ground like you did those bastards in the hall, and beat me to a pulp." He kissed her forehead, knowing he was running out of time but needing to kiss her just one last time, in case it was the last. "But I have to do this, Elsa. It's the only way to save your life and I won't lose you." She was moaning again, begging him to let her die, to make the pain go away. "I won't let you die, Elsa. Not now, not ever. So, if you're planning on dying, let me know. I'll drag you back from whatever frozen prison you lock yourself in. You are not dying, my love." He kissed her forehead again. "Oh, God, Elsa; I'm so sorry I have to do this."

* * *

Elsa felt a strong hand grip her jaw, the fingers practically digging into her cheeks. The thumb and index pressed down against her skin until they found her teeth and pried her jaws apart. She heard someone whispering an apology, but her brain was so muddled, she wasn't sure who it was that was holding her. Something rough and strong shoved into her mouth and straight down her throat.

* * *

Alexander wanted to scream when Elsa twisted her head away from him. He only pulled his fingers out when he heard her gagging and stepped back in time to avoid being the target of her spew. Tears streamed down her cheeks; she whimpered and moaned and begged for him to stop. When the retching stopped, he looked up to find Oliver standing in the doorway. "I…I can't, Alex," he said, shaking his head. "I can't do it. That's not Elsa; that's not what she normally looks like. That's not her."

"We have to help her, Ollie. Suck it up and hold her down; she'll die without it," he snapped. His stiff tone seemed to snap his brother out of his momentary fear. Oliver wrapped his arms around Elsa's waist and pinned her to the mattress. He didn't need to induce another bout of vomiting; Elsa's stomach rebelled against the poison and she spewed onto the ground beside her bed. "That's it, love. You just have to let it out; it'll make you feel better."

"Please, Alexander, please," she sobbed, trying to curl herself into a ball as she trembled. "Please just let me die. It hurts too much. Just let me die." He moved around Elsa's pain and waved his brother away. Ollie practically bounded off the bed, obviously not wanting to be so close to her. This wasn't how he wanted to remember the vibrant, strong, and joyful queen.

"I'm not letting you die," he told her for the millionth time, swallowing back the emotions in his throat. He gathered her tight in his arms and slowly stroked up and down her spine, wishing he could do more to comfort her. "You're going to be okay, Elsa. I'm going to keep you safe. I'm here now." Her forehead was sticky with sweat, strands of her hair plastered against her forehead.

"You should wipe off her face, lad," Moira muttered, appearing in the doorway with a pitcher of ice water and a facecloth. "It'll make her feel better." Heaven knew he would do anything to make her feel better. Moira crossed the room and handed him the facecloth, soaked in the cold water. Alexander wrung the excess off into the basin and began stroking the sweat from her face. Elsa sighed in his arms, acting like the soft towel was some gift from the heavens.

"Moira, I want you to stay here with her," he said, stroking down her neck and across her chest. "You're going to be safe, Elsa," he whispered into his ear after Moira told him she wouldn't leave the room. "I'll be back for you in just a minute. Ollie and Jonas are going to stand in your room. No one will hurt you." Her chest was rising and falling evenly, like she was merely sleeping.

"Where are you going, lad?" Moira asked. She hadn't seen that look on his face since the day he'd gotten the first letter from Zoe and her captors. He looked like a god, placed on this rather for the destruction of any mortal who got in his way. "Alexander, where are you going?"

"To find out who poisoned her," he called over her shoulder. "They're going to be sorry."


	42. Chapter XLI

**Author's Note: I can honestly say that when I started this, I didn't expect to get the reaction that I've gotten. You guys are some of the most amazing readers that I have ever had the fortune of writing for. Now for my little warning. I might only be able to get two chapters up tonight. I have a huge exam that runs late. I'm going to try for three, but we'll never know. Hopefully the fact that I posted five chapters yesterday can make up for only two today! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XLI**

"Alexander, you have to think things—"

"Jonas, take Princess Anna to her chamber. You stand there, stand between her room and Elsa's. Send Oliver to Elsa's chamber. If anyone gets in those rooms, "Alexander growled, grabbing his brother's shirt collar and pulling him until their noses were touch, "you better start praying I don't come after you next." He shoved Jonas away from him, ignoring the bewildered expression on his brother's face. "Where's Kristoff?" he snarled, still taking the stairs.

"Oliver took him down to the dungeon before he went up to you," Jonas said, his voice trembling as he looked at the desperate look on his brother's face. Alexander was out for blood. "Come, Princess Anna; we should get you to your chambers," Jonas said when Alexander was storming down towards the dungeon.

"Alexander, Kristoff didn't do this! You have to believe me," Anna shouted, rushing at the man and nearly tripping down the stairs. "You cannot just _imprison_ me! You are not the king here!"

"Your sister was just poisoned," Alexander snapped, whirling around on her. Anna stumbled a step back. Jonas locked his arm around the princess's upper arm and steadied her. "If I'm right, every single one of you is in danger. Now, I don't care if Kristoff is a perfect man who has done nothing his entire life. He was with your sister when she was poisoned. You are going to your room for your protection. You are going to stay there. And you are _not_ going to question me until I've figured out what I need to know. Is that clear?" He didn't wait for a response. He turned around and continued down the staircase, his fingers flexing and relaxing as he tensed with pent up rage.

"Come, Princess Anna," Jonas insisted. "Alexander will be better soothed when he knows that you're safe in your chambers."

"I know that Kristoff didn't do this," she insisted. "And Alexander doesn't care about me. He loves my sister."

"In our family, that makes _you_ family," Jonas said. "If your Kristoff is innocent, Alexander will find out. He may be enraged and bloodthirsty, but he'll stop at nothing to get justice." _Especially since it's Elsa that was caught in the fire,_ Jonas added to himself. "Come on, Anna. We need to keep you safe."

* * *

"Why'd you do it?" Alexander snarled, snapping the cell gate shut and glaring at the man that he'd thought he could trust. None of this made any sense to him. He was usually a good judge of character and he'd trusted Kristoff. The man doted on Anna and paid some attention to Elsa. He'd seemed like a good man. Couple that with the fact that hemlock didn't grow in Arendelle; he couldn't figure out what reason Kristoff had to kill Elsa.

Weselton…The king had a reason to kill Elsa and attack Anna _and_ frame Kristoff. There would be no one left to run the kingdom and Weselton could take over.

"Why did you poison her?"

"I didn't!" Kristoff screamed, jerking against the chains. "Are these really necessary? What have I ever done with to make you think that I would poison her? I wouldn't hurt Elsa!"

"Then tell me why you were alone with her! Tell me why Elsa was fine when she was with everyone else and poisoned when she was with you!"

"I don't know!" he shouted back. "Look, I took Elsa to the ice house because I want to propose to Anna and I needed her blessing. I handed the canteen to a guard to fill because I needed to go lie to Anna, otherwise she'd get suspicious."

"What guard?"

"His name is Henry," Kristoff replied. "You have to believe me; I would never hurt her." Alexander tried to decipher the words through the rage that colored his gaze. The only Henry that came to mind was his healer, in the Southern Isles. And he was sure that it wasn't _that_ Henry. "He's the one who spoke out against Elsa your first day here."

"Guard, let him out of the chains. He's clear," Alexander bellowed. "Kristoff, Anna's in her room; you need to be there with her until I straighten this out." Kristoff nodded. "Where's Henry? The foot soldier. Where is he?"

"He…h-h-he's on the training fields, my King," the guard stuttered.

"Send Jonas down to the training fields," Alexander called to Kristoff. Someone needed to make sure that he didn't kill the man that was responsible for poisoning Elsa. At least, not until he got all the information that he needed from him.

The training fields were fairly empty, save the few men who were being forced to do more drills. "Henry!" he called, stomping forward. He wrapped his hands around the young man's collar and hauling him to his feet. He spun him around and slammed him into the wall of the byre that was right nearby. "What did you do? Why would you betray her?" The boy's toes didn't even touch the ground and Alexander was sure under normal circumstances, he would feel the boy's weight in his arms. At the moment, though, he didn't care. He wanted his answers.

"I don't know what you're talking about, King Alexander. I'm starting to think that you have it out for me, King," the boy said, a sneer twisting his face.

Alexander pulled him back and smashed him against the building again. "If you value your life, tell me what you did," he threatened. He must have sounded as on edge as he felt, because Henry's Adam's apple bobbed.

"He sent me the leaves in a letter. He told me to put it into some water and let it steep, like a tea. I was supposed to serve it to her in my house; I was supposed to invite her in for a drink one night and let her drink the poisoned water. But then Kristoff came, and he asked me to fill his little jug with water. It was the perfect opportunity. I put the water into the canteen and gave it back," he explained. "It was just supposed to knock her out."

"You nearly killed her, you piece of shit!" Alexander screamed in his face, releasing his coiled fist and setting it free on the boy's face. "That's high treason and attempted assassination." He banged him against the wall again. Henry swung a wild fist at the king, which Alexander ducked and returned.

"Alexander! Alexander, stop!" Jonas wrapped his arms around his brother's shoulders and struggled to pull him off of the soldier. "You're killing him! We can't find out who gave him the poison if he's dead!" Alexander pulled at his brother's arms and tried to land an elbow in the young man's face. He fought against everything that was holding him back from pummeling the monster that had hurt Elsa. "Stop! Elsa needs you! She won't stop vomiting. Even Moira's afraid."

"I…but this bastard!" he spat at Henry.

"I'll take care of him; you go and take care of Elsa," Jonas said, slowly easing the tension out of his muscles to release his brother. He kept his arms up, wary of Alexander's temper. He couldn't recall a single time in all his life that he'd seen his brother this upset, this angry. Alex was normally even tempered, normally easy to get along with. It took a good deal of mischief to set him off. But what few knew was Alexander's loyalty to his family. He would kill anyone who tried to hurt them; they just hadn't included Elsa in that category.

Alexander took the winding staircase to Elsa's room to find her sagged against Oliver's chest. His baby brother was cradling the girl securely, holding her still while shudders and shivers wracked her body. Moira had emptied a basin and was holding it beneath the queen's chin. The sheen of sweat had returned to her skin. Despite his apparent strength, Oliver's eyes were desperate, pleading with his brother to relieve him of the duty. "She has to stop, Alexander. If she keeps at it, her body won't be able to nourish itself," Moira said. Elsa made a horrible gagging sound, her back arched and bowed as she heaved, but there was nothing left in her to expel.

He took the woman from his brother's arms, lifted her against his chest and carried her to a plush arm chair, away from the stench. "Oliver, find people to clean up the chamber. She can't be comfortable in here with that smell. Moira, hand me that cloth again," he demanded in a soft voice. Elsa turned her face into his chest and clutched at his shirt. "Elsa," he called, tilting her chin to make her look at him, but her eyes remained clenched closed. "Elsa, I know that you can here me; you have to stop throwing up now, sweetheart," he implored. A violent tremor ricocheted down her spine. "I know that it hurts, Elsa. I know, but you'll only make it worse for yourself if you keep vomiting."

She could hear him. She even knew he was right. The next bout of nausea swept over her. She squeezed her fists so tight, her knuckles actually hurt from it. She kept her mouth sealed shut, though she wanted to beg Alexander to let her die. "That's a lass," he cheered. "Hold onto me; I'm right here. I'm not letting you go."

Maids came in to clean the chamber while Alexander held her in the chair, gently rocking her back and forth and bathing her forehead and chest with the soft cloth. "Her bed is clean, King," one of the girls said to him. He stood, hushing Elsa when she moaned and begged to die again. He laid her down on her on the sheets, sliding his hands away from her body. Elsa screamed and clutched at him, her screeching blood curdling.

"Don't leave me; please don't leave me. I just want Alexander," she said, clear as day and desperate. "Please; I think he loves me. I think I love him. Please don't leave me," he voice trailed off. Nodding at Moira, he excused everyone from the chamber and laid himself down behind her, like he had every night during his recovery. Elsa wiggled herself into the cradle of his arms, her sigh soft but cracking like a whip in the quiet air. "Alexander," she breathed.

"That's right, Elsa; I'm here," he replied. "I'm right here."


	43. Chapter XLII

**Author's Note: As promised, a second chapter tonight. This is it, though. I'm _exhausted_ from my exam and I'm going to hit the hay early. Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Chapter XLII**

Elsa pried her eyes open, blinking back against the sunlight that threatened to blind her. She was comfortable, wrapped in warmth and softness that she couldn't even explain. The curtain were drawn around her bed, just the sheer blankets of light fabric hanging from the ice structure that she'd made. She stirred against the wall that she'd rolled up against, but the fetters around her tightened around her. "Sh, Elsa; you're with me. You're with Alexander," he muttered to her, his entire for still and his voice full of sleep. "You're safe, love."

_Love_.

The memories came rushing back. Alexander forcing his fingers down her throat. The king holding her sweetly, promising her that she was going to be okay. Him calling her his love over and over again. "Alex—" she tried to say, but the words stuck like sawdust in her throat. She cleared the passage, but ended up hacking like an old man who'd smoked too many cigars. Alexander shifted beside her, his arm sliding out from underneath her head. His heat crowded her, his bare chest pressing against her cheek for a moment. A cool cloth slid over her face and chest.

Alexander picked up the cloth that he'd been using all night and brushed it over her face, hoping to keep her already heated skin from climbing too high and causing a fever. He dipped the edge of it into the ice water Moira had brought him some time in the night and wet her lips, dripping some into her mouth. Elsa swallowed gratefully, using the three droplets to moisten her throat. He pressed his hand against her forehead, feeling for a fever. But he found her skin damp with sweat and water, but otherwise normal. Flopping back on the bed, he stared at the canopy of the bed before turning to Elsa.

Her crystal blue eyes stared at him through the drape of her lids. "You're awake!" he practically shouted, his hands now brushing over her cheeks and lips. "You must be parched. Let me get you some real water." Elsa felt like someone had zapped all of the life out of her. It took an effort just to hold her lids open enough to watch him. He maneuvered her around the bed, settling her on her back before he got out of the bed.

He poured the glass and slid an arm under her shoulders, pillowing her head on his bicep and raised her from the mattress. "Only a little bit, now," he warned. The last thing he wanted to do was start up another round of her vomiting. Cautiously, he tipped the glass to her lips and let her take a brief draw. Though he was sure she would like more, Alexander pulled away after three small sips. "How are you feeling?" he asked her softly, lowering her back to the bed with extreme care. She just nodded tiredly. "You scared the life out of me."

"Why are you here?" she asked him thickly.

"You—I," he licked his lips nervously, not wanting to force the next words out of his throat. "I can fetch Anna or Moira for you if you'd like them here."

"You," she sighed, blinking the exhaustion away. "I didn't mean like that. I meant why are you—Arendelle?" she managed before starting another fit of coughing.

"The ice started to melt. I told you that it wasn't goodbye," he whispered to her, brushing his knuckles against her cheek. "I didn't get a letter back from you and the ice was melting, which meant that I could ship out to come and see you." Elsa turned her face towards his hand when he drew another line along her cheekbone with his fingertip. "I will admit that I wasn't expecting to show up to watch you being poisoned. You scared the living hell out of me, Elsa. I thought you were going to die on us."

"I…I don't remember anything, really. I went to the ice house with Kristoff and he was trying to ask me something important. I was winded from the walk and Kristoff gave me a drink," she whispered. "And then…then I just started feeling strange."

"Yeah, it was hemlock," Alexander whispered. "It's a plant that grows in areas where there's little water. In other words, not Arendelle or the Southern Isles. Henry, that wimpy little soldier I trounced that first morning I was here in Arendelle, steeped the water and gave it to Kristoff when he asked the boy to fill it for your trip."

"You can't think that Kristoff did this, Alexander," Elsa protested, her eyes drooping. "He would never…never hurt me or do anything like that. I think he was trying to tell me that he wanted to marry Anna—"

"Kristoff didn't do it. I put him in the dungeon and questioned him," he replied easily, sinking onto the mattress beside her. A part of her was irked, wanted to tell him that he had no right. But she'd done the same thing when she'd been in the Southern Isles and he'd been hurt. "I've had Anna and him confined to this area all night."

"That's probably killing my sister," Elsa muttered. "She was locked in our castle for years after her accident," she explained.

"Once your men and mine are sure that you're safe, then I'll let the both of you free," he said sternly. He handed her a mint leaf that Moira had told him would make her feel better, relieve her mouth of the taste of bile, and watched her chew it. "Now, tell me how you're feeling." Because there was one thing that he was _dying_ to do, but wouldn't until he was sure that she was okay again.

"I feel like someone sat an elephant on my chest," she whispered, remembering paintings of the lumbering beasts that she'd seen. "I'm kind of hungry, but I'm afraid to eat anything. But I feel okay."

"Good, because I have something that I am _dying_ to do," he muttered. Slipping an arm beneath her, grasping the nape of her neck to support her head. He lifted her slowly but deliberately before pressing her mouth to his. Elsa gasped when she felt him kissing her. He held her softly but there was no denying the strength in his arms. She wished that she was stronger, that she didn't want to fall asleep or turn into a puddle of goo in his arms. Alexander moved slowly, refusing to push her beyond her limits. He was just so grateful to have her alive and breathing that he couldn't resist _not_ kissing her.

After what was only a moment, but had felt like a lifetime, Alexander pulled away from her, lifting her so that their foreheads were pressed against one another. "I've missed you, Elsa. So very much," he told her sincerely. Elsa wanted to tell him just how much she'd missed him, but she was so tired, she wasn't sure she could. "We can talk in a little. You're tired, Elsa; I see it on your face. Lay down and get some more sleep. I need to talk to your young soldier again. And his friends."

She was about to warn him to be nice to her men when the exhaustion took hold of her. She yawned instead, turning her head away from him to hide the gesture that she was too lazy to hide with her hand. Alexander smiled at the woman who was wiggling her way to the center of the bed. He tucked the blankets securely around her, made certain there was a basin nearby should she have need of it, and leaned over. "Sleep well, Elsa," he murmured against her forehead before pressing his lips there officially.

"Moira," he called into the hallway, poking his head out. The woman walked swiftly to the door, a smile on her face. "I'm going to question the man who poisoned the queen. Sit with her, will you? She enjoys your company and will feel better waking up to a familiar face. Princess Anna should join you; I'm sure she's worried about her sister." Moira nodded and stepped towards the chamber, but Alexander held up a hand to stop her. "When she's awake again, I have a request."

"Of course, lad; anything."

"Help her get up, take a bath, change her clothing; whatever she wants to do," he requested. "I'm sure that she'll try to tell she can do it alone, but I'd prefer that someone be there." Moira gave him a stiff nod. "If you could find some women to change the sheets on the bed, too, that'd be great. She was practically sweating bullets through them."

"Consider it done, Alexander," she whispered, thinking that her husband and his deceased best friend had raised a good man. And that _that_ man had raised good men of his own in his brothers.

"Good; I'll go and talk to Anna," he replied. He knocked lightly on Anna's door while Moira went to find a seat in Elsa's chamber.

Anna opened the door shyly, but quickly realized who was in front of her. Her blue eyes blazed fire, hot enough to melt any ice that Elsa could create. "You and I need to talk," she said, pushing the door all the way open. "Get in here or have me follow you around the keep. Your choice."


	44. Chapter XLIII

**Author's Note: I went to sleep early, slept in a little late. And now I'm wide awake and ready to write!**

* * *

**Chapter XLIII**

Talking to her in her chambers seemed a much simpler than having Anna trail after him like a puppy for the rest of the day. Besides, the young girl didn't need to see him growling and snarling at a man in shackles and threatening murder. "Can I help you with something?" Alexander asked, frowning her and clenching his hands into fists. "I don't have a lot of time to argue, Anna. I am trying to keep you safe."

"You are not the king here!" Anna snapped at him. "You are a visitor, a guest. You are not the one that gets to call the shots and I will not be locked in my room and trapped in this castle again." It was just as Elsa had said. Even exhausted and completely out of it, she'd managed to get it all right again. "You had no right to do any of this." The patience that he'd been holding on to, the thread of control that he'd been clinging to snapped.

"Do you understand nothing? Your sister strove to protect you and your friends when she threw the Duke of Weselton out of your kingdom. The Duke is a sniveling old man; he holds no real power. The King of Weselton, however, is something infinitely more dangerous. Your sister practically declared war on Weselton by cutting off all ties. And he poisoned her for protecting her friends and family. Do you get it now?" he growled at her. Anna tried to stand tall, but he saw the worry in her eyes. "His people are dangerous and their influence extends far beyond their borders. Now I may not be king here, Anna, but I care about you and I care about your sister. I will not let the two of you come to harm, no matter where you are or what kingdom we're in.

"As for leaving your chambers, you should be able to do so by this evening. I want my answers, Anna. I don't think you realize how close your sister came to dying. There were thirty minutes standing between life or death. No one hurts the people that I care about and gets away with it. Whoever this man is, whoever he is using and controlling, he almost killed the woman… He almost killed Elsa; I won't give him the chance to hurt you, too."

Anna swallowed and stared at the anger that was radiating in waves off of the man before her. "I know that you care about your sister," he continued in a softer voice. "I know that you love her and that you're afraid of losing her. I see it, Anna." Speeches, he could give. He'd learned how to talk to his brothers, to show them what they couldn't see themselves. But those were_ men_. He didn't know how to do the same for Anna, for a girl. He'd never had to. So, he stepped forward and clapped her on the shoulder. "I know that you don't want to be locked away again. I know that you don't want Elsa to lock you out. But if you want to reconnect with her, you have to stop being so selfish and demanding."

"I am _not_ selfish!" she shouted at him, her face contorting in a smile.

"Not intentionally, Anna, but that is how you're behaving." He squeezed her shoulder like he would one of his brothers. "You wanted to visit your sister, but when she didn't respond quick enough, you just decided to show up. I know that you aren't stupid, Anna. You saw how upset your sister was the day that she had to leave the Southern Isles. I can only imagine how difficult it was when she was back here. My brothers had me to deal with, but I express my fears and worries. Maybe not directly…or with words…but I express myself. Elsa doesn't. And when you realized that you were having to sit by and watch your sister suffer, you wrote to me and asked if you could come for a visit."

"I never wrote to you!" she screamed at him, throwing her arms in the air. "What reason would I have to write to you? The Southern Isles are beautiful, but they're not my home. I came because I wanted to check on my sister, but I _never _wrote to you." Alexander frowned, trying to think of what reason Weselton would have write to him on Anna's behalf. Maybe just to get his attention…He'd been waiting for a letter from Elsa. They would've known that he would be anxious to get a letter back from her and that getting a letter from Anna would worry him. There was no reason for Anna to write unless something was wrong with Elsa.

"Even if you didn't write to me, Anna, I know that you're afraid of everything going wrong. You and your sister have both had difficult lives and you both have things to overcome. But I'll tell you the same thing that I told my brothers: you can't let your fear run your life. If you do, you'll never learn to gather your courage and do the difficult things that _need_ to be done. Things like letting your sister go. Clinging to her will only make it more difficult for her to trust you and reconnect," he told her.

Anna looked down, her eyes narrowed as she thought over his words. The actions hadn't even occurred to her. And the last thing that she wanted was for Elsa to feel stifled or smothered or forced. She just wanted to have her sister back, to have Elsa be happy. "Stay put, Anna. Kristoff can stay here to provide you with company. And if I find Olaf lurking about, I'll send him up here. Moira is sitting with Elsa in her chambers. You should go sit with her; I'm sure she's worried about you, Anna."

She gave a subdued nod. Alexander knew that the words had been necessary, but it didn't make the words any easier to say. That had been his role for a long time. For years, he'd had to point out his brother's mistakes to them. In turn, Dorsey pointed out the stupidity of his actions to him. Somehow, it was different to tell his brothers how stupid they were. Telling Anna, seeing the hurt look on her face, and knowing that he'd caused the tears to gather in her eyes hurt him almost as much as his words had hurt her.

He turned on his heel and walked out the door. He didn't expect any show of affection from her of even any words. In truth, he wouldn't blame her if she never talked to him again. At the moment, he didn't have time to feel bad for spitting the truth in the girl's face. No; at the moment, he needed to focus on Elsa and Henry and Weselton and Zoe and finding out just how far the bastards' reach extended. The dungeon was as far from Elsa and Anna's tower as could be. Yesterday, he had hated the walk, hated the fact that he'd need to be so far from Elsa before he could save her and get the demon who had hurt her. Today, against all odds, he found himself grateful for the walk.

The anger was still there, a fire blazing in his chest that no one, not even Elsa, could freeze. Jonas and Oliver were waiting at the base of the staircase, the two of them staring at him with wide eyes. After the way that he'd acted the day before, he could understand. He'd acted like a rabid dog on a chain, leaning all his weight against it and hoping that it would snap. He'd wanted blood yesterday; he'd wanted someone to pay for the pain that Elsa had been forced to endure. The night had been an antidote to that, though. Yes; he was still angry and he wanted to hurt someone, but he didn't feel like killing people. That was what lying next to Elsa had done to him.

"Henry is in the dungeon?" he asked as he walked through the halls.

"After the healer saw to him," Jonas allowed.

"You broke his nose and cracked his head open. The healer, Natasha, wanted to make sure that it was nothing serious," Oliver explained. "And then we took him to the dungeon. He's in the cell at the far left.

"Where do you want us?" Jonas asked, assuming they were going to be stationed outside of Elsa's chamber or watching over Anna.

"You're coming down to the dungeon with me," Alexander said, turning the corner to leave the castle's walls. "You two make sure that you're nearby me al all times."

"Don't you want us with Elsa?" Oliver asked, obviously as confused as his brother. "I mean, what if it's someone in her guard."

"No; Kristoff will be there to watch her. I need you guys more," he said sternly.

"What? Why?" they asked together.

"To make sure that I don't kill anyone."


	45. Chapter XLIV

**Author's Note: Okay, so I'm writing this note based on the majority ruling on reviews today. All I have to say is this: Just trust me. And enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XLIV**

Elsa relaxed in the bathtub, sinking down into the warm water. She had only slept for an hour after Alexander had left her. She'd woken up to see Moira relaxing in the chair that sat beside her window. The older woman had helped her to her feet and ordered a bath to e filed for her. Despite her protests, the older woman had pressed her into the bathtub and made her promise to relax. Knowing that fighting with Moira would do her no good, Elsa sank down into the water and let it cover her shoulders.

The door banged open just when she thought that she was going to fall asleep. The brass knob smacked the wall behind it, the sound echoing through the room. Anna's eyes were bloodshot, swollen. Her nose was red, like she'd done nothing but sob uncontrollably for the last hour. "C-c-c-can I b-b-be alone with my s-s-sister?" she managed, her voice wobbling and her trembling lip getting in the way as she tried to speak. "P-p-please." Elsa was sitting upright in the tub, her arms crossed over her chest to protect her modesty, but her eyes wide with concern.

She gave Moira a little nod, hoping that Anna would miss the gesture. The older woman stepped out of the room, planning to find out exactly what had so upset the young princess. "What's wrong, Anna?" she asked, dipping herself back into the water if only to hide her nudity. "Are you okay? Is it Kristoff?" Anna shook her head, her tears dripping down her face. "What's wrong, Anna? Just tell me." Anna dropped into the chair that Moira had moved beside the bed.

"Am I selfish?" Anna asked her softly, her lips trembling still.

"What?"

"Am I selfish person?"

"Of course you're not. Why would you even ask me that?" she asked.

"Because Alexander pointed out that I was acting like a selfish spoiled brat today," Anna wailed, tossing her hands up to cover her face. "I just wanted to know why he was parading around the kingdom, acting like he owned the place. He's not the king here," she sniffed. "And then he told me that I was being selfish for not waiting for you and for going to the Southern Isles. I guess there's some letter that he got that was signed from me, but I never sent it. I didn't think that I was being selfish. I missed you; that's why I wanted to go to the Southern Isles."

"You're not selfish," Elsa assured her. _And I'll be talking to Alexander about yelling at you,_ she added to herself. "As for the charge that Alexander isn't king here, you're right." Anna perked up, hearing her sister side with her. "_But_ you're wrong at the same time. When Alexander was injured in that fire, I took over the running of the keep and checked on everything in the village. None of his brothers opposed me. I would've been a little upset if they had; I was just trying to help. So if I expected them to let me help, how can he expect anything less from the people of Arendelle?" Not that she was any happier about the things that Alexander had said to her sister. "It's okay, now," she said, reaching out to pat her sister's hand.

"Is he right, though?" Anna asked her. "He said that f I kept trying to make you care and get you to be around me, you were just going to want to push me away again. He actually said that I was afraid of getting locked in this castle again. Is that true?"

Sighing and wishing that she'd stayed in bed a while longer, Elsa forced herself out of the tub and reached for her robe. "I'm not closing the castle gates any time soon, Anna. I told you after the Thaw, we're never closing them again. And no: I don't think you're selfish or that I will try to push you away again. Everything is going to be okay."

"Why do you keep saying that?" Anna shouted at her sister. "Why do you keep treating me like I can't know things? I'm not going to break if you tell me that we have problems to work out. But you keep protecting me, so I think that there's nothing wrong with our relationship. But then you keep me at an arm's length and I don't know what to do with it."

"We _are_ fine, Anna," Elsa insisted. "I know that you don't want to hear this and the _last_ thing that I'm doing is excusing what Alexander said to you. Trust me, he'll hear about it from me tonight. He is trying to keep us safe, though, Anna. He shouldn't have called you selfish and he shouldn't have said all of those things. I just think that he might be going a little out of his mind right now. I was the same way when I found out that Ha-someone was purposely trying to hurt him and his brothers. I understand what he's feeling," she explained.

"You're doing it again! You're trying to protect me when you should just tell me the truth," Anna snapped. "You're not Mom, Elsa. I don't need you to tell me the facts of life. I don't need Alexander to act like my father. He's not. If he wants to protect us, fine. But I'm the princess; I should've at least been consulted on what he's doing. Did you run around the Southern Isles without telling his brothers what you were doing which Alexander was recovering?" she demanded. Elsa wanted to find another reason for Alexander's behavior, but even she could see the validity of Anna's statement. "Exactly! I'm eighteen, not eight. I know how to speak my mind, I know how to make decisions, I know how to cope. So if everyone could stop treating me like a child..."

Anna fell silent and Elsa watched the emotions flit across her sister's face. "You're right," Elsa allowed. "You're right; we shouldn't be treating you like a child. I'm only three years older than you. I'm your sister, not your mother. And Alexander has no right to tell you 'the way of things.'" Anna smiled with satisfaction. "You're not selfish; you've done nothing wrong. I'm sorry that Alexander attacked you that way. I'll talk to him," she assured her. Anna's face suddenly fell, like she hadn't heard the words that she'd wanted to hear. "What? What's wrong?"

"I don't want to mess things up between the two of you," Anna admitted. "He loves you, Elsa. What other reason would he have to be storming around Arendelle and huffing like a bull? He's stomping around the keep, making demands, and protecting the two of us? He loves you."

Elsa licked her lips and pushed the statement aside, going to her wardrobe to find clothing for the day. "And Kristoff loves you," she said to divert the conversation. "Did he tell you why he was talking to me yesterday?" Anna frowned and shook her head. "He was asking me for my blessing."

"Blessing for what?" Anna asked, the frown still on her face.

"For your hand in marriage, you silly," Elsa said with a laugh. The bath had helped rejuvenate some of her energy. Her talk with Anna had taken some of it, but at least she didn't feel like falling over and sleeping for the next two years. "What other reason would he have to talk to me?"

"Well, I don't know. Maybe he just wanted to talk to you about...ice. He's said it countless times before: ice is his life," Anna replied, flopping back on the bed.

The rustling from the door brought both their attention. Moira sauntered through the door, Olaf trailing after her. "Hi Elsa!" he shouted, waving a stick hand at her. "What are we talking about?"

"Stupid men who can't learn their lessons," Elsa muttered.

"Your snowman certainly likes to talk," Moira whispered to Elsa, gently tucking the girl's white hair behind her ear. "How are you feeling, lass?"

"I feel fine; you don't have to ask me that every single time you see me," Elsa said, a smile on her face to balance any malice in her tone.

"Yeah; it's not fun having people baby you all day long, is it?" Anna asked, rolling onto her stomach and propping her chin in her hands.

Elsa turned around and stuck her tongue out at her baby sister. A gesture which Anna returned. "All right, that's enough you two," Moira said, smiling at the sisterly banter, glad to see more of a relationship blooming between the two. "Elsa, why are you getting dressed? You should be lying down in the bad and resting?"

"Yeah, why are you getting dressed?" Anna asked, realizing that she hadn't even noticed.

"I'm going for a walk," Elsa said.

"A walk where?" Anna asked.

"To find Alexander."


	46. Chapter XLV

**Author's Note: Okay, so I promise that you'll get your Elsa/Alexander conflict tomorrow. Today, I need to fulfill my romantic side with a little Anna/Kristoff. Happy reading!**

* * *

**Chapter XLV**

"Wait, Kristoff, we can't!" Anna shouted. Kristoff had his hand wrapped around her wrist and was dragging her with gentle insistency from the chamber. "I'm sorry, maybe you didn't hear me. Alexander told us to stay up here, in case you forgot. And even though I don't want to listen to him, Elsa said that she's going to talk to him. Maybe we should just keep the peace and stay up here," she suggested, but Kristoff just shook his head. "Well...will you at least tell me where we're going?" she asked, desperate for any piece of information.

"Nope. Come on," he insisted. "I'll deal with Alexander later."

"Yeah; I'd like to see that," Anna snorted.

"You don't think I could? I help my own against the guy at Wandering Oaken's," Kristoff said, glaring down at her. Anna burst into giggles that drew attention from the guard they were trying to avoid. Kristoff clapped a hand over her mouth, glaring at her. "I don't know what you think is so funny. It's the truth. I took care of the ruffian, if you'll remember correctly."

"If _you'll_ remember correctly, you got thrown on your butt into the snow and you and Sven were planning to spend the night in a hay hutch," Anna retorted, smiling up at him. "You were singing about how much you smell."

"No; _Sven_ was singing about how much I smell," Kristoff corrected.

"Because it's not weird that you sing for your reindeer and make up his voice so he responds," Anna pointed out.

"Says the girl who climbed three feet on a mountain and asked if I could feel the air getting thinner," he muttered in response. "Okay, I'm not trying to kidnap you so that we could nag at each other. I have a plan. For once, just follow my lead." Curious as to what he was planning, she sealed her lips together and allowed him to lead her to the staircase. Anna started to descend, but Kristoff pulled her in the other direction. She frowned her face showing her confusion. "Just trust me, would you?"

"Sure, sure; whatever." He pulled her along with him, all the way to the tower. The windows were meant for archers, wide enough for a man to fit his torso through and draw his bow. Kristoff dug into his bag and pulled out the rope and grappling hook. He secured the rope around Anna's waist and held the other end in his hands.

"Please don't just decide to jump this time. We don't have the powder sitting at the bottom." She smiled at him, wanting to glare at him playfully. "I'm going to lower you to the bottom. When you get there, just untie the rope and then I'll come down."

"Why aren't we going down the stairs again?" she asked him, clambering up the window sill and putting her weight on he rope. "Somehow that seems much simpler than lowering me down the side of the archery tower." Kristoff smiled at her dangerously, an impish gleam in his eyes. He stepped up to the window that Anna was hunched in. Resting a hand on her neck, he stroked his thumb along her jawline and pressed his lips against hers. As had been the case from the beginning, Anna wrapped her arms around his neck and put all of her trust into him. He kissed her like she was the oxygen he needed to breathe and, in a way, she was. He couldn't explain the need that he had for her. It was...beyond love. He _needed_ her, required her to breathe.

"Keep your knees bent when you hit the wall," he muttered against her mouth, bracing his hand on her shoulder and shoving her out the window. Anna let out a startled squeak and waved her arms wildly about her head. She kept her knees bent as he'd instructed and grabbed hold of the rope as she collided lightly with the wall, not hurting herself at all, save the adrenaline that had her stomach churning in knots. Kristoff poked his blond head out the window, smiling down at her and holding the rope with ease. "It's like some crazy trust exercise," he said with a wink.

"_We're not saying you can change him because people don't really change,_" she murmured under her breath. "The trolls might as well have said that there was no chance of teaching him anything. Almost a year later and he's still a bit of a fixer upper," she grumbled, reaching the ground and untying the knot about her waist.

"So are you, Princess Anna." The deep voice startled her, causing her to throw an unruly fist into the speaker's face. Oliver caught the little hand with ease and smiled down at her. "It's funny, because I seem to remember my brother asking you to stay in your chambers for the day."

Kristoff grunted as he landed in the snow dampened grass beside the pair. "She's because of me. I asked her to come with me and she did," he explained. "Let me just...uh, bend your ear a little," he added, waving him over so that the two of them would be out of earshot. Anna watched the two of them, bent in deep conversation with one another, ignoring the rest of the world.

A bright smile split Oliver's face for a brief second. He schooled his features into a complacent mask and clapped Kristoff on the shoulder. "I'll cover for the two of you, but I can only do it until dinner time," Oliver said when they'd trotted back to her. "And you can't take the reindeer. Alexander was worried that someone might try to take Anna disguised as you, so the guards are on lookout for you, Anna, or Sven. You'd be best to go out the back gate, to the fields, through the market and then out to...the spot." He leaned down and surprised Anna with pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Take my horse. Have fun."

He handed the reins over to Kristoff and lifted Anna into the saddle before turning away and going back to his duties, probably checking on Elsa. "Wait, what about my sister?" Anna asked, turning in the saddle to face Kristoff."

"I've got it all dealt with," Kristoff promised. He heeled the horse into a gentle canter, the hooves clapping against the kingdom's stone roadways. Though he knew it would take longer than he would like, he followed Oliver's plan and headed through the fields on the outskirts of the village before cutting through town and to the forest.

"Where are we going?" she asked again, but Kristoff didn't answer her. He just continued on, leading the horse through the trees, over the fallen branches and logs. She wanted to be frustrated, to shout at him for keeping a secret from her, but in truth, she was just glad to be out of the castle walls, away from the gates. So she leaned back into Kristoff's chest and let the horse's easy gate carry her through the wilderness until Kristoff came to a halt, wrapping his arm tighter around her waist to steady her.

He helped her to the ground and then dismounted, tying the horse to a low hanging branch. He took Anna's hand in his and led her to the hay hut that had been mentioned those few moments ago. "What are we doing here?" she asked, drawing out the words as she looked around her. Kristoff jammed his hands into his pockets and kicked a clod of dirt that hadn't been turned to mud in the rain. "Hello? Are you going to answer me?" she asked, stepping up in front of him, playing with her fingertips and chewing on her lip.

"You know, when we first met in that trading post, I thought that you were a silly girl on a stupid adventure. I thought you were a princess," he said, licking his lips again. "And then you opened your mouth. I realized that ou definitely didn't speak like a princess."

"Hey, I will have you know-"

"And I loved it," Kristoff pressed on. "It was the way that you tried to be in charge and demanding, but you were still hesitant and uneasy. It was the fact that you were clumsy and that you couldn't get things out in the right way. Which I totally understand because sometimes I feel like my tongue is an inch thick...Or a foot thick, I think that the saying. Maybe I just shouldn't be talking about it-"

"Kristoff, there was a point to this conversation, remember?" Anna said, smiling sweetly at him.

"Can we-I may to say could we-would you..." He trailed off, feeling like his first kiss was happening all over again. "I love you, Anna. And I don't have much to offer you, except for a reindeer, a sled, and family that is a little insane; but I love you and you're the only person that I want to be with, no matter how desperate the trolls say I am for human contact." She grinned at him. "Will you marry me, Anna?"


	47. Chapter XLVI

**Author's Note: Don't worry, we'll get back to Anna and Kristoff. Happy reading!**

* * *

**Chapter XLVI**

"What do you think you're doing?" Alexander growled when he caught Elsa walking towards him, her dress soft and thick, hanging loosely around her body. He strode straight to her, gently clasping her arm in his hand. "You're supposed to be upstairs sleeping, not running around the keep," he chastised, gingerly wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Is everything okay?" he asked him.

"Do you have a minute to take a walk with me and talk?" she asked him.

"If by a walk you mean take you back up to your chambers, sure," he agreed. For propriety's sake, he bent his arm and tucked her hand into the crook. "Something is bothering you," he deduced after they walked a few feet and people weren't able to hear their conversation. Do I get to know what's wrong?" he asked when she still hadn't answered him.

"My sister came to see me," she admitted. Though he knew that things weren't perfect between the two of them, he'd thought that seeing Anna would've made her a least a little happy. "She was in tears because you came to talk to her." Alexander flinched; though he firmly believed that Anna needed to hear the words, he hadn't even intended to make her cry. Elsa stopped and glared at him. If looks could kill, something told him that he would be burning in the depths of hell. "You had no right to tell her that she was being selfish, Alexander. She's done nothing wrong, except try to reconnect with me."

"And sometimes you have to agree that she tries a little too hard," Alexander said softly, gently, trying to soothe the girl who was clearly unhappy with him. "You have to admit that your sister pushes a little too hard sometimes. That's not going to help the two of you build a relationship. It's only making you frustrated that she's pushing and her frustrated that you're not giving her what she wants."

"Don't you realize what we want?" Elsa asked, her frustration pointing more to him than to her sister at the moment. "We want the kind of relationship that you have with your brothers, Alexander. Not the parental relationship, but the one where you guys laugh and joke and rely on one another. I don't think you understand just how hard things were. We used to be so close and then... You just don't get it. Anna is just as scared as I am; she just has a different way of showing it."

"But you can't keep babying her, Elsa. My brother's didn't grow up because I let them get away with everything," Alexander insisted.

"You had to raise your brothers, Alexander; I don't have to raise Anna. The two of us were as thick of thieves growing up. I'm not eight years older than her; I'm three years older. I just have to be her sister, not her mother," Elsa retorted. "But that's not what we're talking about. You had no right to say those things to her. She's not one of your brothers. She's not one of your men. And whether you want to acknowledge it or not, she's right: you're not the king here. I've already talked to her, explained that you get to help us like I helped you, but Anna just wants to be a part. She wants to be considered in your decisions."

"You don't think that I consider her? What do you think that I'm doing here?" he snapped at her, helping her through the gate and up the staircase. "I wanted to visit you. I wanted to see you and see how you were doing, but that's not what I'm talking about. You're not the only person that I'm watching out for, Elsa. I'm trying desperately to find out who did this and kill them because I have to take care of your sister, too. If they were after you, they're after her."

"But why? You've never seemed to care about Anna. Not that I'm saying to have to go and decide that she's your new best friend. I'm just saying that you have no reason to be protecting her so desperately," Elsa muttered.

Alexander looked around, making sure that no one would see what he was about to do. He pulled Elsa into the dark corner, behind the lines of suits of armor against the wall. He crowded her, pressing his chest against hers and threading her hair between his fingers. His thumbs, callused and rough from all the years of work and training, brushed over the smoothness of her skin. The friction sent shivers down her spine. He bent his face over hers, his nose nearly touching hers. "How is it that you don't get this?" His breath fanned over her face, more potent than the drug that had almost killed her the day before. "I don't want your sister to bully you or push you around and that's how I feel she acts sometimes. But," he pressed on when she was opening her mouth to protest, "she's your sister. No matter what I think or how I want things to be between the two of you, she's important to you. That makes her important to me. I won't let anything happen to you and I sure as hell won't let anything happen to her," he promised.

It didn't make any sense to her. Why would it matter if something happened to Anna? So what if she was important to him, not that that made any sense to her either. She was just...Elsa. She couldn't even claim that she was his friend, because she knew she was more than that. But she couldn't claim that she was something special...because she wasn't sure. "I won't talk to her about things like that again if it makes you that upset," he added when she didn't respond. "I still think that she needed to hear the words, but I won't do it again."

"Why?" Elsa asked, now more confused than ever. The man didn't make sense to her. As soon as her parents realized what she'd been cursed with, they'd done everything they could to protect the rest of the world from her. Grand Pabbie had once asked if she'd been born with or cursed with the powers. Her parents may have replied with born but she knew what they wanted to say. She'd been born with a curse. She hadn't thought that she would ever find someone who wanted to be around her, other than her sister. She knew that people would be mostly accepting, but a part of her still waited for the other foot to drop, for everyone around her to leave.

Instead, she had found Alexander. It didn't seem to matter to him that she'd nearly killed him on more than one occasion. He still came back for her, still wanted to be around her. It didn't make any sense. "Why what, Elsa?" he asked, leaning closer to her and stroking away a tear that had dripped down from the corner of her eye. He couldn't stand the fact that she was crying.

"Why do you care about what I think or what I want? Why do you care about my sister? I don't understand it," she breathed. Alexander's smile was tenderness itself as he brushed the strand that fell in her eyes away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Elsa shivered in his hands, her hands lying completely limp against his chest.

He knew that it was time for the two of them to talk frankly, but somehow it was nearly impossible to force the words out. The second that they left his lips, he knew there would be no taking them back. It wasn't that he was unsure, it was the expectation that came along with them. He wanted something more from her. He wanted everything from her. He just couldn't give her anything back until he knew what was going on with his sister, until he was sure that he'd stopped Weselton and protected Elsa and the people that she cared about. But if he didn't say the words, he would have to wait longer than he wanted to.

He took a deep breath and gathered his courage. Gently, insistently, he tilted her head back and kissed her deeply, with all the emotions that he'd been keeping penned up inside his soul. Elsa gasped in surprise when she felt his lips descend on hers. It wasn't an answer, which made her feel a little disheartened. She'd been hoping for...something. She wasn't quite sure what it was she'd been wanting from him, just that she wanted something from him. He pressed his mouth against hers, arched his body so that the two of them fit like puzzle pieces against each other. This was somehow different than all the kisses they'd shared before. She'd always been able to feel pent up desperation and emotions that were there in his lips, in his every touch.

All of the sudden, she could feel everything that he'd been trying to conceal. He slid his arms around her at the same moment that she slid her arms around his neck. They moved in sync, in a dance that they both knew but had never choreographed or practiced. Alexander only pulled away because he'd felt his control start slipping. "I love you, Elsa. That's why I talked to Anna; that's why I care. That's why I've been going crazy about the poisoning. I love you.'


	48. Chapter XVLII

Author's Note: I finally found a way into FanFiction; my computer's not letting me log in. So, I was able to get the chapter I'd already uploaded, but I won't be able to upload a new chapter (as in newly written) until tomorrow! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter XLVII**

"You don't mean it," she panted, chills running down her spine and her lips trembling. He couldn't mean it. She knew that he didn't. He just _thought_ that he did. He didn't understand what he was saying, the implications of what was being muttered against her skin. She tried to think of every reason why he didn't mean, even when he thought he did. Her parents had loved her, but even they hadn't trusted her to be herself. Four years after their deaths and she was still learning how to be herself. No; Alexander didn't love her. He couldn't.

To her shock, he laughed, his hand stroking lightly over her cheek. "I assure you, Elsa, I mean it. I've been trying to fight it for weeks now, since the day that you got on that boat and sailed back here. I love you, Queen Elsa." It was hardly romantic to tell her that he'd been trying not to love her. Then again, romance wasn't really his style. Alexander wasn't the kind of man who was well versed in words of romance. Else didn't think he ever would be. But he was a man of action, and there was no disputing that his actions said that he hadn't been able to fight it.

From the very beginning, there had been something between them. She'd felt drawn to the mountain of a man, to the warrior that was inside of him and the heart that lie beneath. He'd protected her, defended her from his first day in Arendelle. "I know that you feel the same, Elsa," he told her, his voice soft but brokering no argument.

"You know nothing of the sort," she breathed, her breath still coming in ragged gasps.

Everything in her heart wanted to say it back, to fold herself into his arms and tell him just how much she loved him to. Everything in her brain told her that if she revealed that much of herself, everything would go wrong. "Aye, I do," he said, smiling at her now. "I know it from the way that you hold onto me when you're scared. I know it from the way you begged for me when you were scared and hurt. I know it from the way you kiss me back with every ounce of passion in your body. I know that you're scared and that you don't want to be vulnerable, but you allow it to happen with me. Because you love me," he insisted, gently stroking the pad of his thumb over the arch of her cheekbones.

"You can't know that I love you," she insisted in her soft voice. "I can't love you."

Anger and frustration flared in his stomach, but Alexander quickly tampered them. He didn't want to get frustrated with her. He wanted her to say it because he knew she felt it. There was no way that she didn't. Then again, she hadn't said that she didn't love him. She'd said that she _couldn't_. "Why can't you, Elsa? What's holding you back? Tell me; let me make it right again." She shook her head from side to side, her breath hitching in her throat. "Yes," he insisted. "Tell me, Elsa."

"I can't love you. I just can't. You don't understand. If you get close to me, you'll get hurt," she hiccuped. "Look at what happened to Anna. I almost killed her once and succeeded the second time. I know that the two of you think that I'm being overprotective and that I'm babying her, but I'm not. You don't understand what I've done and how many people that I've hurt, Alexander. I won't see you added to that list."

He kissed her again, if only to shut her up. Elsa told herself to fight against him, to make him understand, but her body ave in before her brain could strengthen her spine. It was only a brief kiss, but it was enough to stop her. He gently pulled back from her, enjoying the dazed look in her eyes and the the blush over her cheeks. "You didn't kill you sister. She's still alive and terrorizing Kristoff. You've never hurt me, even when I've deserved it." He released her face in exchange for her hands, cradling them in his so that the palms were face up. "I've seen these hands protect, even the men who spoke out against you. I've seen them create a sanctuary and beauty. I've felt them heal, despite the severity of the wounds. I have only ever seen these hands do good things." He lifted them to his lips and pressed a sweet kiss in the center of each other them. "You're not a monster, Elsa. I know it."

"Because of the way that my parents taught me to be aware of my powers, aware of how I could hurt people. I will not let you come to harm because I'm too weak. I can't do that to you, Alexander," she repeated.

"Oh, I really don't want to do this," he growled, his voice strained.

"I know; that's why I couldn't let you," she replied softly, looking at a button on his throat instead of his face. "We can just forget that it happened, Alexander. I won't hold it against you."

"That is not what I meant," he snapped, losing a thread of his control. "I can do this." He waved a hand between the two of them. "I want this. What I don't want to do is speak ill of the dead."

"The dead?"

"Elsa, you weren't taught to be aware. You were taught to be terrified. And the last thing that I want to do is speak ill of them or hurt your feelings, but your parents were wrong. They should've embraced you, your powers, the blessing that you were given. Instead, you were taught that you were nothing short of a curse on the world. You're not." He kissed her again, just to reassure. "You are the sweetest, most selfless person that I've ever met. You are willing to sacrifice and give until there is nothing left of you. All I want to do is give back to you. I love you, Elsa."

"You make it sound like my parents beat me," Elsa murmured.

"Your parents loved you, Elsa; I have no doubt about that. But the fear that they instilled in you... The could've beaten you and left just as big of a scar. Your parents have been gone for four years. It took you three to stop hiding from your sister," he said. "But I know that they loved you.'

"How do you know that?" she breathed. There had been a few weeks where she wasn't all that sure that they did. They had to keep her safe; she knew that. She just wished that she'd had someone like Alexander there the whole time. Or that they'd let her stay with Anna more.

"Because you're a lovable person, Elsa," he told her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her against her chest, resting his cheek against her hair. "Stop hiding, Elsa. Your sister's here. She loves you. Kristoff's here. He...I'm sure he cares about you." Elsa beamed at him, smiling for the first time since he'd told her. "I'm here; I more than care about you. I love you, Elsa. I'll say it to you every day, every hour, if it will make you believe me."

"I believe that you _think_ you love me," Elsa allowed. "But you don't know about what will happen to you, Alexander. I could hurt you."

"Stop saying that!" Alexander growled again. "I don't think that you're capable of hurting anyone. I've heard about the men who followed you to the North Mountain and tried to kill you, Elsa. You didn't hurt a single one of them. And as I've said before, you didn't even hurt my brother after the things that he did to you. I honestly don't think you could hurt someone. You're too good for that." He kissed her neck this time, feeling her pulse beneath his lips. "So, since I don't believe for a moment that you could hurt me, I want you to tell me what else. What other stupid, silly reason do you have to stay away from me?"

She wasn't convinced that she could keep from hurting him, but it was her only real excuse. "What about our kingdoms?" she asked. "How are we supposed to be around each other when we live so far apart? And don't give me that excuse that true love conquers all," she added with a growl.

"True love, huh?"

"That is _not_ what this is," she snarled at him, thinking in the back of her mind that she'd spent a little too much time with him and was gaining some of his mannerisms.

"Fine, have it your way," he allowed. "But I will tell you this. If you want something to work, you make it work. You could be in China, Elsa, and I would still find a way for this to work. You're five days on a boat, three if we don't sleep. Considering the lengths I'd go to get you, Elsa, five days on a boat is nothing."

He was effectively destroying every argument that she could come up with, ruining every thing she had to keep herself hidden. "Fine," she sighed. "I love you, Alexander. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone."

"That's all I need to hear," he told her, kissing her sweetly, and stroking her hair away from her face.

"If anything happens to you because of me, I'm going to blame you," she told him when she could breathe.

"I'll take my chances."


	49. Chapter XLVIII

**Author's Note: I've been locked out of FanFiction all damn day! I literally could no get in no matter what I did. The only reason that this is going up is because I'm a very humble genius and outfitted one of my older chapters for todays. Enjoy and review!**

* * *

**Chapter XLVIII**

Kristoff looked so adorably nervous, Anna almost couldn't tear her eyes away from him. Then the words that had flown from his mouth registered in her brain. He wanted her to marry him. She'd known that he'd asked Elsa for permission, but somehow, Anna didn't think that it was ever going to happen. She flew into his chest, locking her arms around his neck. Kristoff stumbled a step backwards, but wasn't able to keep them from falling into the dew dampened grass. He locked his about her waist to keep her from coming to harm from the fall.

Anna fused her mouth to his, burying her fingers in his hair and locking his mouth with hers. Kristoff momentarily, forget…everything. He forgot about his vow of love. He forgot about his proposal. He forgot about the fact that she hadn't answered him. For the moment, everything in him was consumed with Anna. Her hair felt like satin beneath his fingers. Her curves fit against the hard lines of his body like she was made for him. She was; he knew that. He brushed his fingers along the smooth skin of her cheek, collecting the stray strands of hair and pushing them behind her ears.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" she shouted, peppering his face with kisses. "A million times yes!" Kristoff laughed breathlessly against her lips and tightened his hold on her hair to drag her back down to his mouth. He rested both hands on her hips while Anna leaned over to give herself as much leverage as possible and take control of the kiss. Control that he gladly relinquished to her capable hands, letting Anna set the pace. She popped off of him as suddenly as she'd tackled him, her hands going straight to her hips.

"Where are we going to live? I mean, I'm sure that there's plenty of room in the castle. We could get a cottage," she fired off in rapid succession.

"I don't think you want to live in a cottage, Anna," Kristoff laughed, pushing himself to his feet.

"There's the cake, the food, a dress…I need a new dress!" Her eyes went wide as she realized how much went into a wedding. She slapped her hands to her cheeks and stared at him like she was about to pass out. "Who am I going to have make a dress? There are only two women in the entire keep! I can't just leave my sister alone and —" Kristoff smacked his hand over her mouth to get her to fall silent.

"I'm sure that we can figure everything out, Anna," he said, wrapping the other hand around her waist and pulling her up against his chest. He lifted his hand to see that she was smiling beneath his palm. He fitted his hands to her waist this time and lifted her above his head. Anna braced her palms against his shoulder and laughed, the sound raining over him like sunshine, quenching his soul.

Anna could't believe that she'd found someone who wanted to put up with her, especially in light of the things that Alexander had just said to her. She didn't deserve the kind of love that Kristoff was offering her, but she couldn't turn it down. Most especially not when he was kissing her like she was all that he would ever need. He slowly brought her back to her feet while she wrapped her arms around his neck instead.

Kristoff couldn't believe that the _princess _of Arendelle wanted him. Him! He had no human family to speak of. He'd been alone, with only Sven as company, for the first few years of his life. Having Sven was great…until he met the trolls when he was six. He hadn't realized how alone he was until he'd gotten a family again. Having Anna thrust into his life, having her in his arms—It was like something that he couldn't explain. He loved her and needed her. He could understand the _woman_ wanting him, but the _princess_; that didn't make any sense. He had nothing to offer her and she still wanted him.

"I love you," Anna murmured as she pulled back. It was the first time that she had said it to him. He'd known that she'd felt it; why else would she put up with him? He'd told himself that he didn't need the words. Knowing that she loved him was more than enough. The minute that the words left her mouth, though, he knew that he would never survive without hearing them again. His heart stuttered in his chest as he looked down at the shy smile on her face and stared up at him with wide eyes, as if she was afraid that the words would be thrown back in her face. By him. After he'd just proposed.

As if he hadn't just proposed to her.

"I have something for you," he whispered, stepping back from her, his teeth sinking into his lip again. This part was almost more nerve wracking than the proposal had been. He pulled her arms free from his neck before lifting the necklace from around his neck. It was simple, like something everyone in his family wore. The crystals had never been given to another human besides him. When he'd asked Grand Pabbie, the old troll had seemed almost hesitant before acquiescing. "I…I don't know if you noticed, but each troll has a crystal that they wear. Grand Pabbie gives them out to signify that someone has became a part of the family.

"I know that the human tradition is to get a ring, but I wasn't raised by humans, Anna. The family that I know has no higher honor than the sharing of crystals. He handed her the carefully crafted metal chain that he'd asked the smith to make, the glimmering lavender crystal hanging from a clasp at the center. "When trolls get engaged, Grand Pabbie takes one of the man's crystals and breaks it in two." He dug beneath his shirt and pulled the matching half of her crystal, his glowing blue. "The two are attracted to each other. Whenever they're near each other, they'll pull towards each other. And if something happens to one of us, we'll know. They're magical," he explained.

Anna lifted the chain around her neck and dropped it over her head, fingering the charm between her thumb and index. "You and I are the only humans who have Troll Crystals," Kristoff added in a soft voice. Anna stayed silent, looking at the little flicker of lavender flame that glimmered in the depths of the crystal. Kristoff hesitated, wishing that she would smile or tell him that she was happy or tell him that she wanted a ring. "If you want a ring, Anna, I can find you one. I mean, I thought that we could get you a ring too, but I didn't get one for…for this," he explained, not wanting to call it a proposal.

"I do _not_ want a ring," she growled, looking up at him. "How many women in the world have rings? Every single one of them. I am quite literally the only human women with one of these crystals. I don't need a ring; I don't want a ring. It's supposed to be a symbol of your love for me, but there couldn't be a better symbol that _this_." She reached up and grabbed his crystal, fitting hers to his. The electricity hummed between the crystals. Both of them felt the magnetic draw that was pulling them together, begging them to indulge in another kiss.

Kristoff covered her hand with his, curling her fingers around the jointed crystals. "I'm glad that you feel the same way," Kristoff muttered, his lips trembling with the sheer force of the emotions that were rolling through him. Anna was going to be his wife. He was going to marry the girl that he hadn't even dreamed of. Never in his life had he dreamed that he would marry and have a family, but at this moment with Anna wrapped in his arms, he could see a life ahead, a life for the two of them and whatever children they might have.

Anna raised up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Smiling, Kristoff knelt down and threw her up over his shoulder. Anna squealed and thudded her fists against his back, demanding that he put her down. He kicked the door of the hut open and marched to the center. He flopped her into the pile of hay, amused at her shriek of fear and the _humph_ she emitted when she hit the cushioned ground. "What are you doing?" she asked him as he sank into the hay beside her. "I thought we weren't going to be gone very long. I have to figure out how to make a dress and I…" Her eyes went wide again. "I have to tell Elsa. There's so much to do and not a very long time to do them in, especially if we want to get married in the next five weeks. Maybe we could have Elsa—"

He covered her mouth with his this time, pressing the angles of his body against hers. "I think we can spend a little time here. Alone," he said softly.

Understanding lit in Anna's eyes, sending shivers down her spine. "Maybe just a moment or two," she allowed, anticipation curling her toes.

Kristoff laughed huskily. "It'll be more than a moment or two, Anna."


	50. Chapter XLIX

**Author's Note: Let's see if I can't get one more up. It might be a little after midnight, but I'll try my best. Sorry about the delay tonight. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XLIX**

Alexander walked her up the stairs to her chambers, smiling at her as they found the threshold. "You, you little imp," he muttered as they came to a slow stop, "interrupted me in the middle of something important. I'll come back to eat lunch with you, okay?" Elsa nodded, a little dazed from the kisses that he'd given her. "Not to make you angry, but will you_ please_ stay up here and relax a little bit? You almost died yesterday. I would feel better if you weren't running around the forest for the today and, uh, maybe tomorrow."

There was a part of Elsa that wanted to snarl at him and tell him that he wasn't allowed to tell her what to do, but she couldn't. If there was something that she knew from reading all the books that she had, it was that relationships required compromises. He was trying to protect her and her sister. She'd kept her sequestered in his chambers while he'd recovered. She'd expected him to go along with her decrees. She could do no less for him. Even while she was curious about what he'd been doing. "Thank you for agreeing," he said with a nod, wanting to hold her close again and hear her say the words against his ear.

"I didn't even say anything," she said with a frown.

"You didn't have to," Alexander said, stroking his thumb over her cheek. "I saw it in your eyes, and I thank you for it." She rolled her eyes at him and watched him step up closer to her chest. "You should go inside now, Elsa, before I kiss you again and refuse to let you go. I have something important to do." She wouldn't have been too upset if he stayed with her.

He kissed her forehead instead of her lips, despite the wanton way she leaned back to offer them to her. Telling himself that he would be back to eat lunch with her, Alexander reached around the ice queen and pressed the door open, anchoring Elsa to himself to keep her from falling inside and hurting herself. She backed inside, her lip tucked firmly between her teeth as she retreated. Alexander watched the door slide closed before he turned back to go and find his brothers and the traitor. In truth, he would be finished with his interrogation if Elsa had surprised him by storming towards him.

Henry was strung up in the dungeon by his wrists, his feet flat against the ground still. Alexander was furious and he was out for blood, but the last thing that he wanted to do was torture someone. No; he'd just make them _think_ that he was willing to do so. He was fairly certain that he could be quite convincing at the moment, especially with the rage that was building in his chest. He picked up the whip with the fish hooks on the end. He'd never used it on a man's flesh; he never intended to. But it was an intimidating weapon if you were to look at it. "Let me make something abundantly clear to you," he said in a soft voice as he stepped into the man's cell. "I don't care about you. I don't like you. I haven't liked you from the very beginning. I have no problem tearing you apart until you give me every answer that I require."

"What if you don't like what I have to say?" Henry asked him.

"I just want answers. You tell me the truth, I promise that you won't die," Alexander said in a dark voice. There was a part of him that actually wanted to break his word. For the first time in his life, he didn't care about his honor or about becoming the man that his father had raised him to be. No; he just wanted someone to pay. "Who gave you the hemlock?" he demanded. Henry hesitated, obviously not wanting to answer the question. Alexander cracked his whip in the air, the sound echoing in the small confines of the cell. "Who gave you the hemlock?"

Jonas saw Oliver run back to his post out of the corner of his eye. At any other moment, he might have said something to his brother about abandoning his post, but Alexander was too bloodthirsty. He'd brought them there to make sure that he didn't do something he would regret. "Give me the answer or start praying that God will forgive you your trespasses and treason, otherwise you're going straight to hell, boy," Alexander warned.

"They came in the post," Henry squealed, realizing that Alexander was more than serious in his threat. "They came with a letter than he would kill my girl if I didn't do as they asked."

"That wasn't what I asked," Alex warned. "I asked you who gave them to you."

"I don't know. The letter was unsigned. The only things in the envelope were the letter and the leaves. I still have it, if you're anting to look at it, King," he rushed to say. "You have to understand, King Alexander, I was trying to save my love. He said that he knew who she was and what she did. The letter said that he would know if I didn't do as he asked and that he would kill Sally because of it. I couldn't let that happen. I love her and she has no one else. No one!"

Much as he wanted to strangle the life from the traitor, he could understand the man's motives. Things stopped making sense when the heart overruled the head. The man was only trying to protect a woman that he obviously loved. And if the lass had no one else but him, he could understand the young soldier's desires to protect her. Taking a deep breath, Alexander looked over his shoulder at his brothers and nodded to them. Henry's arms slumped as he was released by the princes. "It came in the post, you said," Alexander said in a softer voice.

"Aye, King Alexander."

"Did it get delivered to your home in the usual manner, boy?"

"No; I was at the Dock Market, finding a gift for Sally's birthday," Henry explained. "The man approached me and held the knife to my side. He told me to come with him or he would find Sally. So, naturally I went." Naturally; unfortunately to the strategic warrior prince, Alexander understood the man's actions all to well. "He gave me the letter and said that I was supposed to do what it said without hesitation."

Alexander nodded, chewing his tongue and cheek as he mulled over the words. "The man who gave you the letter, what did he look like?" Alexander asked, praying to go that he wouldn't hear the words that he suspected to be true.

"Tall man, dark hair. He had sideburns and a small beard, Your Highness," Henry said, realizing that he could be out of trouble. "I will give you everything I have from him, King Alexander. I know what I did was wrong! Please, pardon me. Let me apologize to Queen Elsa, Your Highness."

He turned around, knowing that Oliver and Jonas would watch his back while he spoke. "What are you thinking?" Jonas asked gruffly, looking at the prisoner over his brother's shoulder.

"I think the lad is a young man who has too much on his plate and is trying to protect himself and the woman that he cares about," Oliver replied. "I think that's why he spoke out against Elsa in the beginning. He was trying to distance himself from the queen so that he wouldn't have to hurt her."

"But he's stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he'd managed to hurt Elsa, he would've been put to death. If he didn't do anything, Weselton would've killed the woman he loves," Alexander said.

"I have a request, King Alexander." The voice startled him. "I know that I don't have the right, King Alexander, but the letter said that if they didn't hear of Elsa's death within six months of me receiving the letter, they'd kill her; Sally. Please, King, take her somewhere safe. Put her somewhere where she won't be hurt."

"He's right; he has no right to request protection from us," Jonas grumbled.

"I understand it," Alexander said, the scowl on his face saying that the feeling of understanding what was going on in a criminal's head frustrated him. "Bring Sally down here to say something to him, let him explain him, just make sure he does it honestly. The last thing that we want is a serving lass who is frustrated with Elsa and decides to make another attempt on the queen's life."

"And what about the soldier? What he did was treason," Jonas pointed out.

"Yeah; he did. Let's get our hands on that letter and see if we can't figure it out. It was the Duke's man that brought the letter, though," Alexander said slowly, nodding. "I'll...I'lll talk to Anna about this. She's requested that I talk to her before making decisions. She can decide whether the man lives or dies."

"You're going to talk to someone else about your decision?" Oliver asked, furrowing his brows. He touched the back of his hand to his brother's forehead. "Are you feeling okay, Alexander? Maybe it was residual poisoning from Elsa's canteen."

Alexander smacked the hand away. "Shove off," he muttered. "Just, do as I say while I go find Anna."

"She's with Kristoff!" Oliver practically shouted. "They wanted some time alone."

"Fine, then. I'll find Sally. Jonas, you sit here and make sure that the prisoner doesn't escape. And Oliver? You go to the boy's home and find the envelope. Take him with you if you must, but he stays supervised. Clear?"

"You know, you never used to _ask_ us if things were clear," Jonas pointed out. "I think you're going soft brother."

Alexander thrust a fist into his brother's gut, satisfied with the pained grunt that left his brother's lips. "Not that soft, baby brother," he smiled, walking away.


	51. Chapter L

**Author's Note: I'm telling y'all: it's not normal for people to write as much as I do...(sigh) Review please!**

* * *

**Chapter L**

Elsa didn't think that dinner could come swiftly enough. Alexander had come to join her for lunch, as he'd promised her that he would. She was beyond frustrated at the reversal in their roles, especially from the time that she'd spent with him in the Southern Isles after the burns. Now, she understood how frustrated he must have been with her. She'd only been locked in her room for a day and she was already itching to get back out and be among the people, to be taking care of the things that needed to taken care of.

The knock on her door startled her out of her frustrations. She rose to answer it, but the ladies' maid that Alexander had assigned her beat her there. She had yet to receive an explanation for _why_ she needed a maid, but had been promised that she would get one. Alexander knew that she didn't want a maid, so she figured there was a reason for his overbearing behavior. Alexander stepped through the door, a soft half smile on his lips as he crossed the room and took Elsa's hand, stooping to kiss her cheek in greeting. "How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"I feel fine. I'm a little worried about eating and making myself sick or something. I haven't eaten anything real yet," she reminded him. He looped her arm around his and pressed his hand over her fingertips.

"I went ahead and asked your dear _Cookie_ to make you some soup in substitute for the fish the rest of us will be eating. It will be easy on your stomach and a good way to start you back on real food," he said softly. He turned to the young maid. "Sally, you'll be sitting at the head table today. Afterwards, my brothers will show you to your new chamber here within the castle walls. And then there's someone who would like to see you, lass, but you to stay with one of my brothers at all times." The young girl nodded.

"Should I not help Queen Elsa prepare for bed?" she asked. Sally had never been a ladies' maid before, but she was fairly certain it was one of her duties.

"No; the other things that we have for you to do are important," Alexander replied. Sally nodded and scurried out of the room and into the hall to prepare the head table, as she'd always done. Alexander leaned down to Elsa's ear. "I can help the queen ready for bed." The tips of her ears shone bright red, a beacon of her embarrassment at his words. "Before you ask, I tried to talk to your sister about several things, but she has been locked up in her room and, according to Ollie, refusing company because she's with Kristoff. I'll let you figure that out. They didn't even answer when I knocked to tell them about dinner," he grumbled, reminding himself that Anna wasn't his younger sister _yet_. He couldn't threaten Kristoff's life for the safety of the girl yet, not that he thought Kristoff would let any harm come to her.

Elsa frowned and looked around Alexander's broad shoulders, seeing her sister racing up the stairs as stealthily as Anna was capable was. "That would be because Anna hasn't been in her room all day," Elsa said, pointing a finger towards her sister. Alexander spun around, ready to growl at the young girl for deliberately disobey him when he was only trying to protect her, but fell short when he say the heavenly look of stardust that twinkled in the girl's eyes.

Her dress was completely disheveled, looking like she'd thrown it on in far too much haste. Her cheeks were tinged pink, a mixture of embarrassment and delight coloring them brightly. Knowing what little he did about hair, even Alexander could see that the braids weren't properly parted and barely put back together. Having no mirror, Anna couldn't know that stray pieces of straw Kristoff hadn't seen were sticking up in the oddest places in her hair. "Where have you been?" Elsa asked, obviously laughter tinting her voice.

"I think it's pretty clear where she's been and what she's been doing, Elsa," Alexander muttered. He would always want his sister back, but there was a part of him that took a moment to be grateful he'd never had to deal with courters for his baby sister. "I'll meet you at the bottom of the staircase. You can handle this conversation without me." Elsa smiled at him, laughter lurking in the depths of the queen's eyes. She could hardly chastise her sister for something that she'd been dreaming about doing with Alexander for weeks, especially when she'd been away from him.

"Is there something that you'd like to tell me about?" Elsa asked her sister, hooking their arms together. She knew that she should be outraged and probably chastise her sister for giving her innocence away, but she was far too giddy for it. Alexander had told her that he loved her; he'd told her that they would find a way to make it work between the two of, despite the water that distanced them from one another. He'd torn apart every argument that she had to keep herself from becoming too vulnerable. She had a man who loved her, who wanted to find a way to be with her. Anna could've burned part of the castle down, and Elsa didn't think that she would've cared a lick about it.

"Kristoff proposed!" Anna screamed, twirling around on the stair that she was standing on. "He asked me to marry him, Elsa. I mean, I know that you already knew because he asked for your blessing and everything, but he still _asked_." Anna sounded like some teenager who had spent the day daydreaming about her prince coming to rescue her. "He took me to the hay hut where I first met him, but the weird sauna and trading post. You know, the one where I threw carrots at his face by accident." Elsa couldn't help but think that he sister remembered the weirdest things about certain moments. "I'm sorry that we snuck out. Although, technically, Kristoff kidnapped me."

"I don't think that Alexander realized that you were gone," Elsa said, a secretive smile curling her lips.

"And what did _you_ do today?" Anna asked her sister, a knowing grin splitting her face.

"I don't know if I'm required to say. After all," Elsa reached up and plucked a piece of straw from her sister's hair, "I'm not the one who returned from her little outing with straw in her hair."

"Oh come on," Anna begged. "What did you do today? I wasn't here to entertain you; it must have been terribly boring." Elsa snorted because her day had been anything but boring. She'd spent the better part of the day trying to figure out a way for her and Alexander to make something work. When she wasn't doing that, she was spending time with Alexander, or being assigned a maid that she didn't want. Which reminded her...Alexander had promised her an explanation for that.

"Alexander told me that he loves me," Elsa admitted in a whisper of a voice, as if she was afraid that saying it too loudly would ruin everything that she'd built for the day. "And I kind of..."

"You panicked, didn't you?" Anna asked with a smile.

"No. I just argued with him instead," Elsa muttered begrudgingly. "I told him that he didn't love me and I couldn't love him."

Anna turned and grabbed her sister's shoulders, giving her a jarring shake. "Why would you do that? He loves you; I know he loves you! And you wouldn't try to make him leave so much if you didn't love him! It's not like he can complain about it. He's only been kept at an arm's distance for a few months. I was locked out for fifteen years. He loves you, Elsa. I know it!"

"I do too," Elsa said, patting her sister's arm. "Which is why I eventually told him that I loved him too."

"Oh my goodness! Do you know what this means? If he proposes, then we can have a dual wedding! Kristoff wants something with ice in it since, you know, ice is his life. Maybe you could talk to Moira and see if she'll make my dress? I've seen some of the things that she'd made while we were in the Souther Isles. Oh, and I know that-"

"We're not having a double wedding, silly," Elsa said with a laugh. "Alexander didn't propose; he just said that he loves me and I said that I love him. Nothing too complicated."

"Love is the most complicated thing that could possibly exist," Anna said.

"I want to see the ring," Elsa demanded, grabbing her baby sister's finger.

"No ring," Anna replied, pulling a glowing crystal from a chain and holding it up for her. "This is far more special. And...in case you're wondering, we just fell asleep in the hay hut."

"Yeah, sure; I'll believe that," Elsa said with a laugh and patted Anna's arm. Anna grinned shyly and followed her sister down the stairs. As he'd promised, Alexander was waiting for her, alongside a less-than-cleaned-up Kristoff, blushing beet red. "Let's go get some dinner," Elsa suggested, barely holding her laughter in check.

"Good," Alexander said, bringing her close to him. "I'm starving." Something about the look on his face said that it wasn't food, though.


	52. Chapter LI

**Author's Note: New chapter! Happy reading!**

* * *

**Chapter LI**

Dinner was a relatively calm affair. Alexander received some glares rom soldiers that weren't happy with him parading around the keep and storming around like he owned the place. But for every glare that he received, he got a clap on the back and words of approval from three or four more. He sat Alexander at the head of the high table, where she belonged, as it was her kingdom. He hadn't seen many women as capable of running a kingdom as she was. Whether Elsa had wanted the title or not, she was born to be a queen.

Cookie prepared chicken stock with vegetables for the young queen. While she thought it was delicious, Elsa wanted _real_ food. She wanted a chunk of beefsteak, roasted over the fire like Cookie usually did. She wanted potatoes, stuffed with butter and green onions. "All in good time," Alexander promised her when she'd complained to him. "Let's not unsettle your stomach too much, love."

Stiffly, Elsa pushed to her feet and lifted her goblet into the air. "Tonight, we have a celebration," she said proudly. "Not only do we have our friends from the Southern Isles visiting once again," she smiled down at Alexander, "but our own Princess has gotten herself engaged. In a few short weeks, we'll have a Prince of Arendelle," she said, sweeping her hand towards Kristoff and Anna. "To Kristoff and Anna!"

The group echoed her sentiment and lifted their own glasses for the couple. Performers were brought forward to play music as soon as the plates were carried away. Alexander nodded to his brothers and jerked his head towards Sally as people started to the ballroom to dance. "You forgot to mention that we're celebrating the fact that the queen is still among the living," he breathed in her ear when the crowd had pretty much dispersed. Elsa smiled up at him, her energy finally flagging. Throwing up so much the day before had taken a good portion of her energy. She'd stayed awake most of the morning, with the exception of the brief nap that she'd taken in the afternoon. Now, with her belly full and things between Anna and Alexander somewhat worked out, she just felt sleepy. "We should retire," Alexander said, seeing the way her lids were beginning to droop and sag.

"We-I have to stay for the celebration," Elsa mumbled. Seeing that it wasn't going to take much for Elsa to fall asleep, Alexander led her to the ballroom and settled her in a plush chair, where she pretended to watch the people twirling around her.

"I'm going to go congratulate the happy couple," he told her before leaving. Anna and Kristoff, much to Alexander's surprise, weren't out on the dance floor with nearly every other couple. "Congratulations," he said, sticking his hand out to the young man. "Anna, I don't suppose that I can borrow you for a minute, could I?" Anna looked hesitant, which he couldn't blame her for. He'd practically rammed his judgement down her throat earlier. While he still believed that she'd needed to hear the words, he now realized that he could've found an easier way to tell her. Still, Anna nodded and took a step towards him. "I want to apologize for the things that I said to you in your chamber. I was worried about Elsa and I wasn't thinking clearly. I know that you're not selfish, Anna. It's just the way that you were coming off when you were talking to me. I know that you love Elsa," he said, trying to think of a way to apologize without making it seem like he hadn't meant the things that he said.

"I understand; we're all worried about Elsa," Anna smiled, like she knew that Alexander cared more than anyone else. "But something tells me that you didn't want me over here to apologize."

"Elsa's exhausted," he whispered in response. "She's worn out, clear to the bone, but she doesn't want to leave while we're celebrating our engagement."

"Just take her upstairs," Anna said. "I don't want her to be too tired and make herself sick again."

"There's...There's one more thing that we need to talk about, Anna." Anna frowned, unsure she wanted to hear. "I promised that I would talk to you about decisions before making them." The princess crossed her arms over her chest and nodded, serious. "The man who poisoned Elsa, he was put up to it." He explained Henry's entire story, the letter, Sally, everything. "I don't think that he should be put to death for what he did, Anna. He was only trying to protect the girl that he loves. I think that we should let him serve a few years in the dungeon. It will keep him safe and keep the girl safe," he explained.

"I didn't realize that I was going to be making decisions about life and death," she breathed. "Maybe...maybe you should make the decision. I know that I told you that I wanted to be consulted, but this..." she trailed off, unsure how to explain that she didn't want to be responsible for taking a man's life.

"It's fine, Anna," Alexander assured her, stepping closer to hug her tight. "I can take care of it." She was too young to be making these kinds of decisions anyway. This was one thing that she could be protected from for the time being, until she was a little more mature.

"I don't know if I should be letting you hug her," Kristoff said, a lazy smile on his face. "The last time one of you got this close to her, she got engaged and then killed."

"The last thing that I want to do is hurt her," Alexander chuckled. "I'm going to take Elsa upstairs. You two enjoy the evening. And, congratulations again." He clapped Kristoff on the shoulder as he passed by and returned to Elsa's side. As he'd expected, the queen was resting her cheek against the chair's side, her mouth open in an unladylike gape. He chuckled at the beautiful girl with her hair flattened on one side and her lashes fanned out against her cheeks. She was the picture of adorable, disheveled and exhausted, but adorable nonetheless. He slid his arms underneath her body and hauled her petite form against his chest. With no one looking at them, he slipped out the back door of the ballroom and up the stairs to her chamber.

"Why do you carry me around like a sack of potatoes all the time?" Elsa asked him when he'd gotten to the second floor of the staircase. "I have the ability to walk, you know."

"You were asleep. It was the only noble and honorable thing to do," he replied.

"Sure," she retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "None of this is a ploy to get to hold me." Alexander grinned down at her, completely unrepentant. He kicked open her bedroom door and laid her on the goose feather mattress. Elsa, still half asleep, rolled over and gathered one of the numerous pillow to her chest.

"Good night, Elsa," he breathed, leaning down to press his lips against her temple.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked him, rolling back over and looking up at him.

"Down the hall, to my chambers," Alexander said, confused by the frown on his love's face.

"No you're not. I was only able to sleep last night because you were here. And even then I didn't sleep well," she pointed out. She scooted towards the center of the bed to give him room to climb in behind her. Alexander hesitated for only a moment before pulling his boots off and stripping out of his clothing. He clambered into be beside her, pulling her against his chest. "I was thinking," she began softly, her lips brushing against his bare chest as she spoke. "About how to figure things out between the two of us."

"Can't we talk about this when you're feeling a little better?" Alexander suggested.

"I just want to know how the two of us could be together; how do you expect that to work?" she asked him seriously."

Scooting himself farther down in the sheets so that the two of them were face to face again, Alexander nuzzled her neck, pressing his lips against the thrumming pulse that was rapidly increasing. "I can think of something else that we could do together," he mumbled, gently pushing Elsa onto her back so that he could cover her body with his. "Far more pleasurable than trying to figure out how to rule kingdoms."

"Alexander," she gasped. Her body felt like liquid fire. She was melting against the mattress, pressed into the mattress by the weight of the man on top of her. "Alexander," she tried again, her voice a little stronger. The young king pulled away from her neck, looking into the scared, bewildered, and pleasure dazed eyes of the woman he knew without a doubt he loved. Smiling at her, he rolled to his back and threw an arm over his head, waiting for his pulse to go back to normal. "We can-"

"We can go to bed," Alexander whispered, curling an arm under her head as a pillow and tugging her into his chest.

"But-"

"I didn't tell you that I love you because I wanted you to do...that...with me, Elsa. I told you that I love you because that's the way that I feel. I don't have any expectations for things between us," Alexander promised her. Elsa took a deep breath and rolled herself so that she was lying sprawled across his chest. "I just said-"

"Shut up," she murmured, leaning down to kiss him.


	53. Chapter LII

**Author's Note: Life would be too boring if I didn't throw in a little drama every now and then, don't you think? It's weird to think about it, especially because I only started this story a few weeks ago, but we're almost done (I'll let you know exactly how many chapters when I'm sure). Enjoy and review!**

* * *

**Chapter LII**

The next two weeks were full of nothing but bliss. The morning after their engagement, Moira agreed to make Anna's dress for her wedding. Plans were in full swing for the wedding, for everything to be finished within twelve weeks of their engagement. Alexander and Elsa spent countless hours together. When she was back on her feet after the poisoning, Alexander walked around with her, followed her around and helped her to make her decisions. She even met with Henry to find out what had happened and what information they could get from him.

Life was about as perfect as it could be for the two of them. Every morning, Elsa woke up snuggled in the arms of a man that she knew without a doubt she was going to love with every fiber of her being for the rest of her life. Usually Alexander woke first, but he lay there and stroked her hair and held her close, waiting for her to wake up. They spent time together every day, most all day. they talked about everything and anything, but always avoided one subject. What would happen when Alexander's time came to an end and he had to return to the Southern Isles?

In Elsa's eyes, there was no simple fix. She could return to the Southern Isles with him for a time, but they couldn't be constantly traveling. In Alexander's eyes, they would just keep traveling. He wasn't going to let her get away from him. She could come with him for a few weeks. It was as simple as that. The only thing that could tear them apart would be the needs of their countries. Things were going so smoothly in their respective lands, though, Alexander couldn't understand where it would all go wrong.

It was the final day of Alexander's visit, he took her out to her favorite little pond in the forest for a picnic. It was one of the few moments that he got to have her alone, what with all of the preparations for the weddings and the planting, since Spring was in full bloom. "But what about my duties? I can't just let things go on without me," she argued, but Alexander dragged her towards the stables and stuffed all of the things he'd brought for lunch into the saddlebags. He mounted the beast of a horse and leaned down to gather her up in his arms. "Alexander, I'm serious. There are things that we need to do today!"

"Aye, I agree. We need to go have a picnic, get some alone time, and prepare you to travel back to the Southern Isles," Alexander retorted. "Many, many things left to do," he agreed, wrapping his arms around her waist and securing her against his chest and heeling the horse into an easy lope. He breathed in the lovely bright, airy scent of her, burrowing his nose into her hair as he breathed in. No; they would have to find a way to make this work. He wanted nothing more than to be with her every day for the rest of his life.

When he got to the pond, Elsa blanketed the pond in ice, as he'd expected. He draped the blanket over the frozen pond and patted the spot beside him. It was strange to think that only a few months ago, Elsa had been afraid to use her powers, terrified of who she truly was. Now? Well, now she created her own dressed every morning. She wasn't against using her powers to slide around the keep or make him slip when he gave chase. Elsa sank down onto the blanket beside him and rested against his shoulder. "There's something that we need to talk about," she whispered, resting her chin against his shoulder as she spoke. Alexander stopped unpacking the meal he'd brought with them and looked down at her.

"Why can't we wait until we've eaten and had a good night?" he grumbled. "What's on your mind, Queen Elsa?" He'd taken to calling her _queen_ when she was bothering him. Elsa glared at him and shifted so that she was half sitting in his lap, gripping his face between her hands.

"I'm not going with you to the Southern Isles," she said seriously. "I have a kingdom to run and a wedding to plan. I can't go away for a few weeks. We both know that we have to do right by our kingdoms. I can't just be gone, just like you can't be missing." She sighed, truly wishing that she could with him. She had responsibilities, though; responsibilities that she couldn't just ignore. Alexander turned his face and pressed a kiss against her palm. "I want to go with you, Alexander. Maybe if things were different, if I was the princess instead of the queen, maybe then I could go with you. But I'm the _queen_; I have to be here to see to things. We can't just be in our kingdoms in name. We have to be there for our people. But if things were different..." She trailed off and pressed her lips to his instead. "I love you, though. And I wish that I could go, but I can't."

"Wishful thinking," Alexander sighed, kissing her back. "Just promise me that you'll right. And I'll come back for Anna's wedding. So, it will only be a month or two."

"I'll come out in a few weeks," she allowed, "but only for a few days. I can't just be gone," she repeated. Alexander nodded again, his chest heaving in a heavy sigh. "We'll figure it out, remember? We want this to work, we'll make it work." He smiled at her for throwing his words back at his face. "Now, you've made a wonderful plan for us. No more talk of sad things," she whispered against his cheek.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in pleasant company. The rest of the day, really, was spent in happiness. "Queen Elsa, there is a letter from the Southern Isles," Sally said, holding out the letter. Elsa had finally learned the truth about Sally's employment as her maid and, begrudgingly, accepted it. "It's addressed to both you and the King." Elsa smiled and thanked her. She thought about waiting for Alexander to come back from his bath, but there was some niggling need, some instinct, that told her to open the envelope herself.

Inside, was another envelope. Unmarked and obviously delivered by hand to the castle. She frowned at it and opened the second envelope, sliding the single sheet of paper out of its depths.

_King Alexander,_

_We have your sister. We know you know who we are. We don't want you to worry; Zoe is quite content where she is. She's happy to be among people that truly love her, unlike your ilk. _It didn't make any sense. Everyone knew that Alexander was looking for Zoe. It was common knowledge, as common as knowing that he was the king. _We have made several demands for her life, King Alexander, demands that your sister knows about. We're rather unimpressed with your dedication towards your sister. Knowing where she's been hidden all these years, and you've never gotten her back. Zoe is most disappointed. You see, she's our scribe. She knows of every letter that you've ever sent. _

_We're giving you one final chance,_ Elsa read, her lips moving along with the words. _Don't forget that we have eyes and ears everywhere, Alexander. You'd be a foolish boy if you don't think that we know everything. We even know about your little fling with Queen Elsa of Arendelle. Which is why we're willing to make a trade. You bring us the young queen, you can have your sister back._

_You have three weeks to consider the offer and take your action. Or not. _

Elsa stared at the letters, no longer seeing the words that were formed in front of her. The one thing that Alexander wanted more than life itself was Zoe. He wanted his sister out of the clutches of a man that was most determined to ruin her. Elsa couldn't figure out why the men were suddenly so willing to let go of Zoe. She couldn't figure out anything about their abduction of the princess.

With trembling hands, Elsa folded the paper back up and stashed it in her desk drawer. Alexander could never know of its existence. Elsa knew what he would do; he would make the wrong choice. She couldn't let him do so. "Sally?" she called into the other room, sinking down in the desk chair. The young maid came forward instantly. "Find me the Naval Captain. I need to see him," she commanded, not even bothering to keep her tone in check. The young girl was stunned at the brusque tone, but nodded and dashed for the room.

Elsa stared out the window for a moment or two before deciding what needed to be done. She pulled the letter and a clean piece of parchment from the depths of her drawer. She should've expected that something would happen eventually. She could only be happy for so long. She'd had two weeks of bliss, of being in love and happy with a man that she wanted more than life itself. Smoothing the letter flat, she placed it on the desktop and took hold of her quill, penning one single line:

_I couldn't let you make the wrong choice._


	54. Chapter LIII

**Author's Note: Your reviews always make me smile and want to write more. So, as per usual, here's the third chapter. Happy reading (and reviewing!) **

* * *

**Chapter LIII**

"Elsa? I was thinking we could go for a walk, since it's my last night," Alexander called as he knocked his knuckles against the door's wood. His bath had taken much longer than he'd expected, since he'd wanted to make sure that he was clean for the evening he had planed. "Elsa?" he called again when he received no answer the first time. He pushed the door aside, praying the no one else had found hemlock in their possession.

The room was eerily empty, like no one had stepped foot in it in at least an hour. "Elsa!" he shouted, desperate now. He tore through the room like a storm on the sea, throwing open closet doors, fighting the urge to lift up couches and look beneath them to make sure that she wasn't there. Then his eyes lit on a piece of paper sitting on her desk. He lunged at it, clinging to the last lifeline that he had. _I couldn't let you make the wrong choice._ What the hell was that supposed to mean? He threw the paper over his shoulder haphazardly and reached for the one beneath it.

"_We even know about your little fling with Queen Elsa of Arendelle,"_ he read aloud, his voice frustrated. "_Which is why we're willing to make a trade. _Elsa, please tell me you didn't," he muttered to the empty room. "_You bring us the young queen, you can have your sister back." I couldn't let you make the wrong choice._ The words flashed in his brain. No, no, no! She wouldn't do this to him. She wouldn't do this to herself. She'd known what he'd suspected Weselton of doing to his sister. She wouldn't put herself in that position. It was practically suicide.

Which was why she'd left the note, he realized. She'd known that he would never let her go and that he'd find a way to get his sister out without putting Elsa anywhere _near_ Weselton. She'd known all of this, which was why she'd left him a note instead of waiting to talk to him about it. "Sally! Sally, where's Elsa?" he screamed, stooping to collect the note that he'd discarded. The young maid ran back into the room, wringing her hands in front of her. "Where is the queen? Where's Elsa?" he demanded, fighting the urge to shake the silent girl.

"I don't know, my King," she admitted. "Queen Elsa asked me to find the Naval Captain. They met in the salon for a moment or two, but then they left. Queen Elsa said that she would be gone for a few hours and not to come looking for her," she explained in a hurried voice. "It was only half an hour ago that they left," she added. Alexander rushed to thank her and darted out the door and down the stairs, wishing that there was a faster way to the docks. He sprinted straight to the courtyard and hauled himself up onto someone's saddled horse, not caring whose it was and needing to get to Elsa.

"Stop the boat!" he shouted as he saw the small ship leaving the docks. It was too far out to open water, but close enough that he could see it. "Elsa, stop the boat! Stop the ship!" he screamed, his voice going hoarse as he repeated the lines over and over again. He dropped off the horse and paced the boardwalk, staring at the boat that was steadily growing smaller and smaller. "Oh, I'm going to kill her," he grumbled to himself. "She is so dead, it's not even funny."

"Alexander?" Anna's quiet voice called behind him. "I hope that's not my sister's murder you're threatening. Where's Elsa?" she asked, looking at him staring out into the open ocean. Alexander's eyes went wide, like he just finally figured something out. If they had Elsa, they could marry someone to Anna and gain control of Arendelle. "Alexander? Is everything okay?"

"You need to get married," he whispered, his voice barely more than a breath. "Come on." He needed to protect Anna, then his brothers, and then he needed to go after the bastards who had Elsa and Zoe. They were going to pay for any pain the girls felt, physical or mental. He locked a hand around Anna's arm and started towing her towards the horse again. "We'll grab the priest on our way back to the castle. Moira can stand as your witness. Throw a feast or—"

"I'm already getting married, Alexander. There's no need to be so callous! Just tell me what's going on," Anna demanded. "I'm not a child. Tell me what's going on!"

"Elsa is being stupid and she's about to get herself killed. Now, Anna, I love you dearly, like a little sister. I need to see you safe before I do anything else. Your sister will kill me if she knows that something happened to you. So, you are going to get married and then I am going to leave," he explained. Kristoff would keep Anna physically safe and the marriage would give them the legal claims that he needed to keep her safe. No one from Weselton would be able to force her into a marriage if she was already married.

"I don't understand."

"And for the moment, I don't have time to explain," Alexander countered. He dropped her to her feet and dismounted after her. "Father Bentley!" he screamed into the depths of the chapel. "Anna, I need you to stay in this chapel. You do not leave until I have Kristoff here and the two of you are hitched."

"But my wedding!" Anna protested.

"We'll do a big celebration later," Alexander promised. he went in search of Moira, Kristoff, and his brothers. He stayed long enough to make sure that the deed was done, that Anna found herself married to a man that she truly wanted, before he started barking out orders. "Ollie, Jonas, I need you two to go back to the Southern Isles. Kristoff, take Anna to the trolls and you two stay there. Consider it your honeymoon or whatever. I'll come and get you when it's safe," he ordered. Anna was protesting, wanting to go out and find her sister as well. Kristoff towed her away, though, pretending like he wasn't worried about the fact that Elsa had given herself up for dead. "Oliver, Jonas, get on that boat and sale for home. Warn the rest of them about what's coming."

"You still haven't told anyone about what's happening," Jonas said, following his brother down towards the dock. "You just keep telling us that Elsa is in danger."

"I need a boat. You, read this," he snapped, shoving the note in their faces. Not Elsa's note; that was for him. How could the woman think that he would let anything happen to her? She had to have known that he would have protected her with his life. He would've found a way to do it all, to get Zoe back and keep her safe. "Captain!" he shouted at the naval man walking around the village. "Where's the queen? I know that she came to see you. Where is she now?"

"She took one of my best men, asked for a boat that two could man, and said she needed to sail to Weselton immediately, Your Highness," he explained.

"I need a boat," Alexander snapped. "I need one that I can man by myself. I'm sending my brothers back to the Southern Isles. I need it as soon as you can get one for me." The captain nodded his affirmative and turned around to start dealing with all the needed to be done. "Elsa's already got a head start. At this rate, she'll be there before I can even leave," he grumbled.

"She can't be serious about doing this," Oliver said, waving the paper in front of his face. "If she gives herself up, Weselton will just kill her."

"I know, I know," Alexander said, exasperated. "Don't you think I see the desperation in the situation? It says that they'll trade if _I_ brought Elsa. I don't know know what they'll do when she shows up by herself."

"How does she expect Zoe to get out?" Jonas asked, frowning and looking at the paper again. "Even if Weselton lets Zoe go, how is Zoe supposed to get back to the Southern Isles?"

"She's not," Alexander muttered. "Elsa's will probably have the sailor bring the ship _and_ Zoe back to Arendelle. Okay…Oliver, you go back to the Southern Isles. Warn the boys about what's going on. Jonas, you stay here and wait for that boat to return. If you get Zoe, hire a boat and get her to the Southern Isles." Oliver nodded, already sprinting towards their boat. "No body sleeps or eats until you hit port!" he shouted after him. "Jonas, I'm trusting you to keep everyone here safe. Talk to Henry; find out any information you can get from him."

"And you're going to save Elsa's life?" Jonas guessed, a sarcastic sneer on his face but his voice still dripped with concern.

"I'm going to save her life so I can kill her myself," Alexander muttered.


	55. Chapter LIV

**Author's Note: Okay, just a few little maintenance things to get through today. First: HAPPY EASTER to all! I hope you all have wonderful days with your friends and families and eat tons of chocolate. Secondly, the disease that is mentioned is GSB, it's a real thing that effected many people with pneumonia in the earlier years when the virus managed to get through the spinal column lining. Lastly, the next chapter will be an explanation of...a lot. So, I'm interested to hear what you all think about Alexander, Zoe, the trunks, Hans...all of it. If you want to leave you're predictions, that'd be great because I'm always interested to see what you think. Happy reading!**

* * *

**Chapter LIV**

Weselton looked nothing like what Elsa had been expecting. Knowing what she did about the King and the Duke, she'd expected something more foreboding. In her head, Weselton had been made up of black towers and spiked walls. She definitely wasn't expecting fields of flowers blooming on the hills behind the castle, the regular hustle and bustle of a village, the friendly smiles of people who had no idea what their king was truly like. "Just stay on the boat, please. I'll send a girl down here. You need to take her back down to Arendelle."

The man nodded, giving Elsa leave to walk away. She pulled the dark hood over her head, hiding her white blonde hair and casting a shadow over her features. She didn't need anyone to recognize her before she got to the castle. She clung to the shadows cast down by the buildings. She kept her cloak wrapped tight around her and moved as swiftly as she could. Guards surrounded the castle walls, standing shoulder to shoulder in a line that was almost more foreboding than the wall behind them. She took a deep breath and clenched her fingers around the fabric.

Stepping into the light, she strode straight to one of the guards and ripped the cloak from her head. "I want to speak with the king," she demanded. The guard looked a little surprised to hear her voice so stern and strong. He bowed to her and moved out of his position to walk her through the courtyard through, through the entry, and into the main gates. The man who was leading her never spoke a word to her, juts opened doors, let her pass him, rushed in front of her, and continued onward. The walked and walked, up flights of stairs, until they'd arrived at an office.

The room was spacious and cluttered. A mammoth desk sat against one wall, a behemoth chair with a monstrous man behind it. As wiry as the Duke of Weselton was, the King of Weselton was a mountain. His numerous chins smacked against his chest as he mumbled to himself about the papers in front of him. "My gracious King," the guard said, standing at attention in front of the man. "Queen Elsa of Arendelle has arrived as you predicted." The king looked up, a bright smile splitting his face.

"Wonderful!" he shouted. "Welcome, Queen Elsa! Welcome! Please, take a seat. Stanley, go get the girl. And, uh, make sure she's minding her manners." The guard nodded and departed, leaving Elsa alone with a man that she knew to be beyond dangerous. "Now, what brings you to my area of the world, Queen Elsa? I don't suppose you want to open up trade between our nations again," he began. "I don't know what other reason that you would have to make the little trip down the coastline."

"You know exactly why I'm here," Elsa said, licking her lips and taking a deep breath to keep herself steady. "You wrote a letter; you made an agreement. I'm here to make the trade. Princess Zoe goes free; I have a boat waiting to take her back home."

"Actually, you don't," the King replied. Elsa's bewildered look actually made him chuckle. "You're such a foolish girl. You don't even have an inkling of the things I can control. You see, Elsa, I'm in control of everything. I sent the letter to Prince Hans, who has his own connections. Hans had the letter sent to you and Alexander," he began to explain. "I knew what would happen if you got hold of the letter, especially since you two were in Arendelle. Oh, George! Come in, please, come in!" he said, distracted. "Elsa, I believe you've met the Duke of Weselton; he's my righthand man. I was just explaining how things worked. Oh, you've brought Zoe!" the eccentric man shouted.

Elsa's head whipped around to look at the girl. The sixteen-year-old came floating into the room wearing...wearing one of Elsa's dresses. One of the ones that she'd packed and had been stolen from her when her trunk went missing. Her copper hair hung in soft waves down to her waist, the sun shining against it. There was a bruise marring the girl's ivory cheek and a split in her otherwise plump lip. She kept her face downcast, like she was afraid to look up. "Zoe," Elsa said, pushing to her feet. She placed herself between the young girl and the two men who had imprisoned her for so many years. "You have what you want. I'm here. Let the girl go home."

"No."

Elsa raised her hand, warning them. She hadn't wanted to do anything to anyone, but she would if she needed to. She would get Zoe out of that kingdom if it killed her in the process. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," the Duke said in his sniveling voice. He nodded behind her. Slowly, Elsa turned her head to see one of the guards holding Zoe against his chest. The brutish man held the dagger against the young girl's neck, the other wrapped around the girl's tiny waist. "You should've just let us exploit your riches. You should never have gotten involved with the King of the Southern Isles. You've brought this upon yourself."

"If you so much as point those pretty little fingers at us, you'll lose the very thing that you came here to protect and save," the King explained. "Now, as I was saying, Prince Hans has been most helpful. He sent the letter to you, which caused you to race off to save young Zoe here. I had suspected that was what would happen, so I went ahead and paid off your sailor. Only the trusted few that I was told about."

"By Henry?"

"Oh, no; he didn't want to do anything to you. If it wasn't for that little woman of his, I wouldn't have been able to get that poison into your canteen. You see, he was so desperate to protect her, he would do anything. But he didn't have the backbone to turn your men against you." The fat man waved a dismissive hand in front of his face. "No, no; this was one of your lieutenants, I believe. You remember the man, don't you George?"

"Yes, Your Highness. He was most distraught when you were brought back to rule. You see, his wife had been ill and your Great Freeze nearly killed her. Her illness intensified so, the old woman lost feeling in her legs. She'll never walk again, Elsa. And you're the cause of that!" the Duke spat at her.

"You see? There's was never any hope for your rule from the beginning. There was no man to see to your safety, no man to weed out your enemies," the King smiled.

"I don't need a man to rule at my side," Elsa retorted. "I am doing well on my own. And I'm far more powerful than you realize. Let Princess Zoe go, or you'll regret it; I promise you," she warned again. Zoe's gasp brought Elsa's head back around. A drop of blood trickled down her neck, where the blade had begun to pierce the skin.

"As I expected," the King said with deep satisfaction. "You see, Elsa, I do believe that you're more powerful than I realize. But I know that you won't do anything that will cost this girl her life. No; I have both of you now. Hans can carry out our plan in the Southern Isles. Maybe I should send a few of my men down to visit with your sister. After all, she's the queen now that you're dead."

"If you think you can kill either of us, you're brain dead," Elsa snapped.

"Oh, but the sailor returning home will attest to the fact that you were captured at sea. He fought them off as best he could, but you still went overboard. They'll probably give him a metal," the King muttered. "Take them away. The girl's room will be sufficient for the both of them. At least until the next phase begins." A guard stepped forward and wrapped his meaty fists around Elsa's wrists. "And Elsa? If I find any sign of ice in my castle, I'll kill her."

Subdued with that one statement and wishing that she was strong enough to fight against the king, Elsa allowed the men to drag her down the hall and down the stairs to a small closet. A pad of blanket lie in one corner, a dripping pipe provided water when needed. But with each girl hunched in opposite corners, their knees almost touched. "Why did you come here, Queen Elsa?" Zoe asked when the door was latched from the outside.

"I'm a friend of your brothers. You're the scribe; you know what the trade was," Elsa replied. "I couldn't let you stay here any more."

"Why not? My brother's received threats and trade offers before. He's never come for me before," Zoe said, her voice dejected and a tear slipping down her cheek.

"What do you mean?"

"The King explained it all to me every time. When I told him that I didn't believe him, he made me start writing the letters myself," Zoe whispered, her voice trembling as she suppressed her tears. "Alexander never came for me. He doesn't care."


	56. Chapter LV

**Author's Note: (evil laughter) Review and enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LV**

"Your brothers cares about you more than you know, Zoe," Elsa said, shifting closer to the young girl. "Alexander has never stopped looking for you. He spent four years hunting for you before he had to go home." Zoe shook her head, another tear slipping down her cheek. Zoe didn't even seem to be shaking. It was like she wasn't registering that she was crying. "Please, you have to believe me. I left him the letter. I'm sure that she's on his way here right now. He won't let anything happen to us."

"Only because you're here," Zoe snapped at her. "Do you have any idea what it feels like to know that your brother doesn't want you? None of them do. They've let me rot here for ten years. No amount of letters has changed that. Do you know what they asked him for a year ago?" she growled. Elsa shook her head. "The King had me write a letter a year ago. He said that he's been taking care of me for a decade and it was time that Alexander pitch in. My brother either had to send them a decade's worth of fees in exchange for me or send supplies. A few months later, the dresses showed up."

"The dresses? These dresses?" Elsa demanded, fisting the fabric in her hand.

"Yes; the other ones that I had were too small. The Duke said I looked like a whore, since they stopped above the knee and the neckline was pushed down so low to make them fit. I had to tie them in the back with ribbons to keep the fabric mostly together," Zoe explained. "Then, one day when I was getting dressed, the seams all split. They beat me, because I'd ruin what they'd given me. And then I had to do my chores naked until they could find enough fabric to cover a 'cow like me,'" she quoted with some disdain.

"Zoe, please listen to me," Elsa begged. Zoe was sobbing, tears running in unchecked rivulets down her cheeks. She shifted closer and wrapped her arms around the girl who was clearly in need of an embrace. "All of your brothers miss you. Alexander has never stopped looking for you. The dresses that they gave you are m—are stolen. Alexander would've given them any amount of money to get you back. He never got those letters."

Zoe jerked out of her arms as sharply as if she'd been slapped in the face. "They got the letters. Look," she said, scrambling around the confines. She dug beneath the pillows against the other wall and pulled out charred crisps of papers. "The King always burned the letters that they got back. They said that they were a disgrace, that they weren't worth the paper that they were written on. But I picked these out when I was ten. I have the scars to prove it," she muttered, pushing the papers towards Elsa.

There wasn't much there to read. She picked up words scrawled in a script that wasn't Alexander's. Elsa knew Alexander's handwriting. This wasn't it. One phrase jumped out, at the center of a rounded, burnt piece of paper. Just keep her. "Don't you see, Queen Elsa? They don't want me," Zoe sniffled, scrubbing her fingers beneath her nose.

"This isn't Alexander's handwriting, Zoe. He never wrote this. Believe me, I know your brother's writing. He would never tell them to 'just keep' you," Elsa insisted. "He's been waiting years for you to get ransomed. Don't you see? They're playing you and, somehow, Hans is a part of it." Elsa was sure of that. She wasn't quite sure how Hans was involved in all of this, but she knew that he was. The King had said that Hans was supposed to execute the plan on the Southern Isles. Elsa scratched her forehead, frowning down at the tattered blankets. "They've been keeping you in here?" Zoe nodded. "And that they give you some chores?"

Zoe snorted and looked away, shame coloring her face. "If you can call them chores. I serve the King and the Duke. At every meal," she sighed. The only freedoms I'm allowed are my schooling, which I take with the King's son, but he's just as bad as they are. They get to," she took a deep breath, "they get to do whatever they want to me. I'm property, not a person."

"Why do they let you go to school?" Elsa asked.

"Because they didn't want an ignorant whore," Zoe spat. "I've heard them once before. I would have to marry the Prince ad then brought back to the Southern Isles. With me, their sister, married to the Prince of Weselton, a treaty and trade agreement would have to be put in place," she explained. Elsa frowned, putting pieces together slowly. "You have to be someone important to Alexander for them to send you that letter like they said," Zoe whispered after a few minutes.

"I—This isn't about me, Zoe. We're getting you out of here; I promise," Elsa whispered in response. She gently took hold of her chin and turned the younger girl's face towards the light that was flickering from the single candle in the room. "Why did they hit you?" she asked.

"I wrote a letter to Hans and was trying to get one of the guards to send it," Zoe whispered.

"Why to Hans?" Elsa balked, fighting the urge to growl. Zoe dug beneath her blankets this time, rummaging around. Whatever she was hiding was the one thing that she wanted no one else to find.

"It's the one letter I got to before they burned. It's from Hans, writing to beg that they let me go," Zoe whispered, handing the unmarred piece of paper to the queen. "I was cleaning the office when I found it. I kept it because it was the only thing I had that said that someone cared."

"Hand me that piece of paper," Elsa whispered, her eyes narrowed. She held both pieces of paper at an angle beneath the light. "These are the same handwriting, Zoe," Elsa breathed. "Hans has been intercepting the post for years. He's the reason that you're still here."

"But the letter—"

"Don't you think it's strange that this is the only letter you've gotten your hands on?" Elsa interrupted. "This is the only letter that you've ever seen in its entirety. The hand writing is the exactly same on the words. See? Just keep her matches up exactly with this sentence right here: Just give me time to talk to Alexander. If you keep your head, everything will be fine," Elsa pointed out, running her finger underneath the lines and words. "Hans wrote both of these letters. He wants you to believe that he's trying to take care of you when he's the one who's been ruining everything."

"But Alexander has never—"

"Stopped looking for you," Elsa interrupted again. "Let's just think things through here. Do you have anything that I can write on and with?" Elsa asked her.

"I keep this piece of wood. You can write on the walls," Zoe replied, pointing to the rest of the walls. Tally marks were lined and crossed off. "It's how I've kept track of how much time I've been here. Ten years, eight months, and sixteen days," she whispered, running a finger along the charcoal line. "I haven't used that wall," she whispered, pointing to the one behind Elsa's head.

Elsa drew a crude map, a circle for Arendelle's kingdom, a circle for Weselton kingdom, and a series of dots for the Southern Isles. "Hans wanted control of Arendelle," she whispered, looking at her little map. "And Weselton sought to make a connection between the Southern Isles and themselves through your marriage." She drew a line between Weselton and the Southern Isles, the another between Arendelle and Weselton. "But I cut lines between Arendelle and Weselton." She drew an 'X' over her former line. "If Hans married Anna, then there would be a treaty between Arendelle and the Southern Isles, but no direct trade between Arendelle and Weselton." Zoe watch with rapt attention. "The taxes would be doubled if Weselton had to get their goods from Arendelle through the Southern Isles. So," she pointed to the map, "they marry you to the Prince and send you back to the Southern Isles. That solidifies that tie. Then, they trade you for me and force me to marry to marry the King. He's a widower; that creates a solid a tie between Arendelle and Weselton. Hans was supposed to be married to my sister, which would've created a treaty between the Southern Isles and Arendelle. And with the King and Hans in control, they would've gained the most money. Hans could even overthrow Alexander," Elsa whispered.

"And with the three kingdoms connected, Hans and the King would control the largest trading network. They'd be able to expand and expand," Zoe realized. "But why not marry me off and give me back now? I don't mean anything bad by saying this, but they have you. They don't need me."

"Yes…they do," Elsa said, staring at the map that she'd made. "Hans is a prince, he's not a king. He can make all the treaties that he wants, but he doesn't have the authority to enforce anything. Alexander could overturn any decision Hans makes." This couldn't be what she was thinking of. She'd played right into their hands. "But if Alexander was dead and your brothers' attacked Weselton in retaliation, Hans could get free of the dungeon and take control of the Southern Isles. He could make himself king."

"Oh my God," Zoe whispered as she realized the same thing that Elsa had realized.

"It's a trap; they're going to kill Alexander. And they're going to use us to do it."


	57. Chapter LVI

**Author's Note: All right, y'all, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LVI**

Alexander had barely stepped onto the gangplank a day later when he heard someone shouting his name. He wanted desperately to run a sword through whoever it was. Oliver had returned home to take care of the things that needed to be dealt with there. Jonas was interrogating the man that had betrayed Elsa in order to save the woman that he loved. Alexander had insisted on escorting the now married couple up to the Troll Mountains, where he'd struggled to escape the female trolls that wanted to talk to him about Elsa, to introduce themselves. Things that Alexander most definitely didn't have time for.

Now, here he was about to get on the boat, and someone was demanding his attention again. He was about ready to strangle someone. Elsa needed him. He finally had a way in to get to Zoe. He needed to go and get them both out before something happened that he couldn't stop. "What?" he shouted, turning around to face whoever was keeping him from the women he loved most. "What do you need from me? Because I have more important things to do at the moment."

"Queen Elsa's ships has returned, but there's no one aboard but the sailor," the captain said. "He says that they were attacked by pirates." Pirates? There weren't pirates in these oceans. In all his twenty-six years, he'd never once encountered pirates in these oceans. "I thought you might want to see the man before you take your leave."

"Why? So that he can tell me that you the queen has been taken and that she's dead? I'll believe it when I find her dead body floating in the water," Alexander growled, knowing that he would never find Elsa's body; she wasn't dead.

"No; you should talk to him because he's claiming that he fought off a ship full of pirates, at least twenty," the captain insisted.

"Great, give the guy a metal. I don't have time for this."

"The man doesn't have a mark on him!" the captain shouted as Alexander walked farther up the stairs. Alexander slowly turned around to look at him. "There's not a bruise or a scratch or a tear in his clothing. Something smells. My nose may be immune to a lot of the smells of the sea, but I can tell when something's fishy," the man continued. "I know you don't like most of us, what with the Queen's poisoning. But I've been with this family since that girl was born. She was almost born on our ship, coming home from a small trip when the former queen went into labor. I would never do anything to hurt that girl. The man I appointed to take her, I thought I could trust. He's sitting in my office, waiting for you to come and give him a metal for his bravery. I'm hoping you'll beat the living snot out of the lad and find out where the queen is."

It was all that Alexander needed to hear. He rushed down the plank and followed the older man to his office. "King Alexander!" the younger man said. He was only a little older than Alexander himself. "It was terrible, Your Highness. The pirates came on the ship, they demanded the Queen Elsa give them money or jewels or something. The queen tried to tell them that she didn't have anything for them. They took her instead. They said that she'd be worth more there. I fought them off, tried to get the queen back. They'd bound and gagged her and thrown her in the water before I could get to her, King Alexander."

"You know," Alexander growled, leaning against the wall, "I'd believe you if I didn't know Elsa. She was traveling to Weselton to go and save my sister. She wouldn't let a few pirates stop her. She would've killed all of them. So, tell me what happened and don't you dare lie to me."

"Sh-sh-sh-she was protecting me. Yeah, the pirates said that they would kill me if she did anything to them. She was trying to freeze everything when they threw her overboard. I think she got trapped beneath her own ice," he explained.

"Oh, so now there's ice." Alexander rushed cross the room, scattering the papers on the Captain's desk and grabbed his shirt collar. He lifted the man into the air and pinned him against the wall, dropped him back to his feet and help the bled of his knife against his throat. "Tell me what happened to Elsa or die here and now. Start talking."

"They gave me some gold and silver coins. I was just supposed to bring her down the coast and leave her there, no matter what Queen Elsa asked me to do.

"And what did Elsa ask you to do?"

"She told me to wait at the docks, that she'd be sending a sixteen-year-old out and I was supposed to bring the girl back to Arendelle," he gasped. "I swear." The man gulped with Alexander pressed the blade against the column of the man's neck with a little more force. "I swear, King Alexander. They said that they needed the queen there; end of story."

"Who gave you the money? Tell me now. I'm sure you've gathered that I'm a little impatient today," Alexander warned.

"The King of Weselton," the man gasped. Alexander flipped his knife so that the blade wasn't pointing at him any longer.

"He goes to the dungeon. He gets put in a solitary cell. No one talks to him or sees him, not for anything. His food can get shoved through the door. Are we clear?" Alexander asked the captain. The older man nodded. Alexander turned to find his brother. If what the man had told him was true, then he needed to get help from some of his brothers. It was going to take an army to get he girls out of that castle. "Jonas!" he shouted into the Great Hall. "Jonas!"

"I thought that you were leaving?" Jonas asked, jumping from his spot, overseeing the fortification of the castle. "Weren't you supposed to be gone by now?"

"The sailor who took Elsa down to Weselton came back already. He's a traitor. Now, I've already had to give Elsa a day while I dealt with her sister and our family. I need you to weed out the traitors in this castle before I come back." Jonas nodded. "And I need you to write to Liam and Lucas. Weselton has both girls. He needs them both, for some reason. I need to get them out and I'm going to need help. Write to Liam and Lucas and send them to Weselton. That way, the boys are still protected. No body leaves their countries, not you, not them, not Anna, until I get back."

"And if you don't come back?" Jonas asked.

"Anna gets crowned. Klaus gets crowned; he's always wanted it anyways. You leave Weselton alone, though. We've seen what they're willing to do," Alexander said. "But we're coming home, Jonas; never doubt that. Have Klaus weed out traitors in our home. And someone needs to sit on Hans, just in case he has anything to do with this."

"You're really going to bring her home this time?" Jonas asked as Alexander was getting ready to walk out the door.

"I'm going to bring her back home; she's never going to be hurt again." The tide wasn't the best. The winds weren't the greatest. But Alexander didn't care. He'd wasted a day, making sure that things were seen to and everyone knew what it was they were responsible for. He took to the small boat that they'd given him. It would be large enough for Elsa, himself, and Zoe to come home in, but still small enough that he could man it on his own.

The sea breeze was welcome. It chilled him to his bones, the crisp spring air still holding the bite of winter. The vessel tore easily through the water, the foam lapping at the sides and trying to lick at the deck. The cold cleared his head, allowed him to think through things without men hollering his name every few seconds. Weselton needed both the girls; Alexander just wasn't sure why. He was sure that they would try to use his love for Elsa against him. It was nearly certain they would split the girls up and make him pick between them. If he had Liam and Lucas with him, he could rely on his brothers to make sure that they got to Zoe. That way, he could get to Elsa.

A little flurry of snow dotted the sky as he got further out to sea. He knew that there would never be a time that he looked at the dripping flakes and think of the woman he wanted. "I'm coming to get you, Elsa. And then I'm never going to let you go again," he promised her.


	58. Chapter LVII

**Author's Note: Here y'all go. A special fourth chapter, since it's Easter and all. I could possibly be tempted to post another chapter tonight, but that all depend on you guys! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LVII**

Elsa pillowed Zoe's head in her lap and stroked the young girl's hair. When Zoe had finally figured out that Alexander was coming after her, that her brothers had never stopped looking for her, the sixteen-year-old had cried for hours. It was only after all her tears had been shed and she'd lacked the energy to even lift her eyelids that she'd finally drifted off to sleep, clinging tightly to Elsa's skirts as she did. Sleep for Elsa, however, was much more elusive. She needed to get them out of the castle, preferably before Alexander arrived to save them and get himself killed.

If it was just her, she could risk freezing the entire castle and breaking herself out. But having Zoe with her complicated everything. She couldn't risk one arrow slipping through and hitting the little girl. No; she had to be on the defensive instead of the offensive. She had to protect the two of them and get them out. There weren't very many options to do so. With Elsa there, it was questionable if the King would require anything of Zoe. Probably not. They would probably just sit in this little closet and rot until Alexander showed.

The only other option that she had was to break them out and start running. Zoe had been living in the castle for more than a decade. The girl had to know the layout, especially if she'd been forced to clean and serve. Zoe could draw her a map, showing her the easies way to get out. If they were to do it in the dead of night, when there was no one but a sleepy guard around, they could get out. They could run and warn Alexander. No one had to get her.

"Zoe," Elsa whispered, shaking the girl's shoulder lightly. "Zoe, you have to wake up now. We're leaving."

Zoe roused, her eyes bleary with sleep. She smiled up at Elsa for a moment, as if the girl was a friend that she'd known forever. Then she blinked again as Elsa's words penetrated into her thinking mind. "We can't leave, Elsa. You heard the King. He'll kill us both. And besides, we have to save Alexander. After all that he's been through looking for me, we have to find him and keep him from getting hurt. I won't watch him die like I watched my father."

"And that is exactly what we're going to do," Elsa assured her. "The King said that he would kill us if he found any ice in his castle, right?" Zoe nodded, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Then we just won't let him find any ice. Stand up and get against that wall," she demanded, her eyes alight with determination. "Put your face in the corner and cover your head with you arms. I don't know what all is going to break with this happens. From the sate of this closet, probably everything."

She pressed her hands against the wood, watching the ice creep up the grain and encase the metal hinges. The door was much thicker than Alexander, which was the cause for her worry for Zoe. When she was sure that the hinges had absorbed enough of the cold, she kicked it instead of using a brick of ice to magically bash it in as she had before. She needed to be quieter about things this time. She needed to make sure that no one heard them escaping. She kicked over and over again until, with a groan, the hinges gave way and the door fell.

Zoe gave a startled shriek. There was little debris that flew, but they still scared the girl as the good came crashing to the ground. The guard who had been sleeping in fort of the door groaned and shouted, trapped beneath the piece of felled lumber. "Hand me that scrap of fabric," Elsa demanded, stepping onto the door to cause the man to groan and lock his mouth shut. She shoved the piece of sheet into the guards mouth and froze his wrists to the door. "Good luck getting it out of your mouth," Elsa muttered, reaching her hand out to Zoe.

"Wait!" Zoe shouted as they started down the hallway. They were on the fourth floor, which meant that they had to navigate flights of stairs and a guard-filled hallway. They did not have time for Zoe to freak out and decide that she wanted to stay, that everything was too good to be true. "There's a serving girl, Kayleigh," Zoe rushed to explain. "She's been my only friend here and on more than one occasion has protected me. Please, can we take her with us?" Zoe begged. "If they find me gone, they'll kill her, Elsa. Please, _please_, we have to protect her."

_Don't do this,_ Elsa muttered to herself. _This other girl is not your concern. You have to get Zoe out,_ she told herself firmly. "Can you get us to the servers' quarters without us being seen by the guards?" she asked begrudgingly. Zoe nodded enthusiastically. "Let's go. We don't have much time." Zoe led them down the opposite haul and to a back staircase. "This is probably safer anyways," Elsa allowed, taking the stairs as swiftly as she could. "There aren't very many guards who take this staircase, I gather."

"No; the guards think that the servants are beneath them. They'll never understand that they're just servants who wield swords and shields. They're no better than the rest of us," Zoe grumbled. "Not that the servants see me as one of them. They're hateful, resentful because I'm a princess," Zoe muttered.

Elsa stopped and turned around to face the girl. "You have a _title_, that doesn't make you better than them," she told her. "Our blood doesn't make royalty. Our attitudes and ability to lead do. Now come on," Elsa insisted, not wanting to lecture the girl while their lives were on the line. "We have to find your friend."

Kayleigh was a petite girl with hair the color of ripened carrots. It hung in frizzy curls around her face, down to the slope of her hips. "Kayleigh, we're taking you out of here," Zoe whispered. The little girl stared at her with wide eyes, her eyes fixed on the younger princess' face. "Tonight." Kayleigh began to shake her head, her lips sealed shut, her fingers pouting to the bed. "No; you're coming with us. I won't let you be hurt anymore. This is Elsa; she's a friend. She's going to get us out safely."

"We have to go," Elsa said from behind the pair, taking each girl's arms in her hands. Kayleigh flinched and pulled away, flopping down on the bed and covering her head with her hands.

"Kayleigh's deaf, Elsa," Zoe whispered. "If you're not in front of her, she doesn't know you're there. The men…" Zoe swallowed, gently stroking her friend's arm and helping her to her feet. "The men take advantage of that sometimes. A lot." Elsa's heart jolted as she realized the implications of the words. No matter what happened now, she needed to get both of the girls out. Kayleigh was too young to endure all of this. No; Elsa was going to get her out. She was going to get them both out.

"Come on," Elsa repeated, this time not touching the young redhead. "We're leaving. And none of us are coming back here ever again. Is there a way out of here from here?" she asked.

"Yes, we can take the staircase to the cellar. There's an entrance to the cellar in the courtyard," Zoe whispered. They flew as quickly as they could. Kayleigh looked over her shoulder every so often, as if she was afraid that she would turn around and find a guard trailing after her. "The door's locked," Zoe whispered.

"Yeah, not for long," Elsa muttered, grabbing hold of the chain and freezing it within her hands. The ice crawled around chain, the frost forming beautiful shapes along the metal. With a sharp tug, the chain broke loose and fell to the ground. "Easy," she added with a satisfied smile. Kayleigh stared at her like she was some kind of hero, like she was a goddess placed on the earth to protect them. The three of them took the stairs that led to the courtyard, the brisk midnight air smacking them in the face. "We're going to run for a long time. Okay? Until I find a boat that I can trust."

"We're going to run on water?" Zoe asked her, frowning. Kayleigh tapped the queen's shoulder insistently. "What if we get too cold? What are we supposed to do?" Zoe argued.

"Everything is going to be fine," Elsa assured her, pulling them along so that they kept moving. "Listen to me." Kayleigh tapped her shoulder again, hold her hands up to try and show them something. "Alexander is probably half way here. We only have to run until we find his ship or one flying Arendelle or Southern Isles colors. We'll climb aboard and get home safe. Okay?"

"How far is the sail between the two?" Zoe asked, trying to figure the distance. Kayleigh was moaning now, trying to get their attention. "What, Kayleigh?" Zoe snapped, her worry seeping through her voice.

Kayleigh put her hand out in front of her, elbows straight and palms together. She slowly drew her right hand back down her arm, clenching both hands into fists. She pulled her right fist back to her ear and unclenched the fist. "Archer!" Elsa shouted and pointed at the same moment the man found his clear shot and let lose his arrow.


	59. Chapter LVIII

**Author's Note: Since you all were so incredible, you can have another chapter tonight! Review!**

* * *

**Chapter LVIII**

Elsa raised her hand to freeze the arrow when she heard two more screams from beside her. She wheeled around to throw up a wall against the onslaught of arrows aimed at Zoe and Kayleigh. The arrowhead embedded itself in her thigh before she was able to stop it. She screamed and crumpled to the ground surrounding the two of them in ice. "Elsa!" Zoe screamed, dropping to the ground beside the queen. "Are you okay?" she begged, looking at the blood that was pooling on the ground and trickling down Elsa's leg.

Oh, how she would love to sit there and scream about the pain that was attacking her, but she couldn't. She had to get the girls out of Weselton. They couldn't do it without her, either. They'd end up at the docks and end up dead, trying to swim through the ocean. With that thought in mind, she reached down and snapped the shaft off of the arrow, groaning as she did so. She pushed up to her feet and took a hesitant step, testing the pain and whether or not she could run and do what she needed to do.

It was only a deep stinging pain, nothing that she could manage. And with the shaft no longer protruding from her leg, she wouldn't have to worry about one of the girls bumping into her and pushing the arrow farther into her flesh. "We have to keep moving or we'll never make to the docks." She'd never done anything like what she was about to attempt, but she knew that it had to be done. "We've got to stand close to each other," Elsa said, licking her lips and rubbing the back of her hand against the sweat that beaded on her brow. "As close as we can get." The three of them stood so that they were touching, their backs to each other and their shoulders touching. "We have to start moving. Zoe, watch and make sure that there aren't arrows coming at our heads. I can't cover them or we won't be able to see," she whispered. Zoe nodded and clasped Kayleigh's hand tightly to reassure the deaf girl that they were going to be fine. As they took a few steps, Elsa shoved her little fortress forward a few inches. Then again...and again.

The progress was slow. Every time that an arrow hit the thick wall, both Elsa and Zoe flinched. Kayleigh looked around fearfully, afraid as ever. "I'm so tired," Elsa muttered, not realizing that the words slipped out aloud instead of lingering in her mind. "Let's move." When Elsa could finally see the gates, she thought that she might cry. A trail of blood lingered in her wake, drips and drips that followed her path down the courtyard.

"Elsa!" a voice shouted, a voice that she recognized. The Duke. "We thought that you might like to know that a ship has arrived in port." Alexander. He was there. He'd come to save them. In her pained mind, she could almost imagine the shock on his face when he realized that she'd invited another girl along. He wouldn't be too happy about it. "We haven't found your king just yet, but be assured that we will. He can't save both of you, Elsa. Who do you think he's going to pick? A queen he's known for a year or his sister? We know that you think he loves you. The letters that the two of you sent were disgustingly sweet." That was why she hadn't gotten a letter back from Alexander. They'd stolen them.

Elsa staggered in the brief confines of her little fortress. She lowered her hands. The ice would stay solid unless it was broken down. She only needed to keep her hands up and use her energy if she was pushing it forward. Stationary, it didn't need her. "Elsa? Don't we need to move?" Zoe asked her. She wasn't sure if she could move them again. She was so damned tired. "Elsa?"

"They don't know where Alexander is," Elsa whispered. "He could be on his way here."

"It's still a trap." Elsa's befuddled mind had forgotten about that. The idea of letting him swoop in and save Zoe was so appetizing. "We can't let my brother die," Zoe growled.

"You're right. Keep moving," Elsa gasped. She took a thudding step forward and pushed the ice forward with her. Her heart thundered in her ears, her blood roaring through her body. Another plink sounded as an arrow hit the ice again, this one sinking through the wall that she'd created. "Move," Elsa commanded, frustrated and exhausted. The ice barely moved this time when Elsa tried to push it forward. "I just-just need a b-b-break," Elsa stuttered.

"Elsa!" Zoe shouted as the older girl dropped to the ground. Kayleigh leaned down and tore a line from the hem of her dress and folded it, pressed it against her thigh. Elsa screamed so loudly, Zoe almost found herself wishing that she were deaf. "I'm so sorry, Elsa. I should've made you leave by yourself. I should've made you get out. This is all my fault."

"No it's not," Elsa slurred. "It's theirs. They shot me; not you," she breathed. Zoe wasn't sure what she meant by that, but brushed the girl's hair away from her forehead. "Just give me a minute to rest."

"Weselton!" Elsa thought she was going to melt at the sound of the voice. It was deep, dark, full of threat and danger. She knew exactly who it was. "You give me back my girls. Now."

"Is that...Alexander?" Zoe practically sobbed. "But...but you just got here! There's no way Alexander could've made it here from the Southern Isles so quickly."

"The port from Arendelle is only eleven hours from this one. The Southern Isles castle port is farther away, since it lies on the farthest island out to sea," Elsa muttered, her eyes drifting open and closed. "Alexander was visiting me in Arendelle when he got the note."

"King Alexander, what a pleasant surprise," the King's voice shouted from his place. She heard his thunking footsteps as he stepped forward. "As you can see, your girls were just about to escape. Not that they were being held prisoner. Everybody was here of their own free volition."

"This is my last warning. Let them go or I'll kill everyone in this courtyard," Alexander shouted. Oh, how she loved this man. He was the best man she'd ever met, not that she'd met many. But she didn't know any other men that would do the things that he'd done for her. She didn't know another man like him.

Everything happened so suddenly then. Elsa's thoughts of the man, of him being there to save her and love her, inadvertently dropped down one of the walls of her little ice fortress. Elsa collapsed against the ground, her eyes drifting closed and everything going black. A series of arrows rained down on top of them. Kayleigh lunged and threw herself over the only friend she'd ever known and the woman that had been trying to protect them both. A hand grasped her ankle and dragged her off the other bodies.

Zoe heard someone call for a ceasefire at the same moment that another man pulled her away from a barely conscious Elsa. "Zoe!" the deep voice rumbled. Alexander knew that he should've waited for Liam and Lucas. His brothers were undoubtedly still a day away from them. He'd known that he should've waited, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't let the girls live another day in that hell hole, especially Zoe. Elsa's still form came into view as the crowd cleared and Zoe was being pulled away.

Elsa rolled over as she heard screams from all sides. The girls. They were going to die and it would be all her fault. She'd come to protect Zoe and get her to safety. She'd decided that she needed to save Kayleigh. If anything happened, it would be her fault. She couldn't let it happen. Struggling, she pushed to her feet. "Elsa," the whispered plea fell from Alexander's lips before he could stop himself. A guard grabbed his screaming sister about the waist and pulled her towards the castle.

"No! Alexander, save me!" Zoe screamed louder than anything he'd ever heard before. "Please, save me!" Alexander stopped, torn between the woman he loved and the chance to save his baby sister, to get it right this time.

But Elsa. He couldn't leave her to fend for herself. Something was clearly wrong with her. He had to save her.

A wall of ice shoved him towards his sister. It didn't just nudge him, it practically threw him in the air towards Zoe's screams. Elsa was hunched over, leaning to one side. He met her gaze for an instant and saw her nod._ I won't let you make the wrong choice_. The words flashed through his mind as his body raced towards Zoe. She was giving him the chance to make everything right, to be there for his sister this time instead of letting her get hurt.

He raced towards his baby sister, pulling his sword from its sheath as he went. The soldiers weren't nearly as well trained as he was. Then again, they hadn't spent more than a decade waiting for the moment to kill the man that had taken his sister. "Zoe!" he screamed, locking his hand around her wrist. He ran the first man threw and kicked the one holding his sister in the cods. As he'd expected, the man released the girl to cup himself. Alexander pulled Zoe into the circle of his embrace and ran another soldier through. The other ones were young, realizing that they weren't in any shape to fight off the man.

Hot tears hit his neck. He barely recognized the girl in his arms, but she was the spitting image of his was no doubt in his mind that it was Zoe. "You're safe now, Zoe. I'm so, so, sorry. I'm sorry that you've been here for so long. There was so much to figure out. Oh, God, I'm so sorry," he breathed into her, watching the men that were beginning to retreat. They were young, but not stupid. A woman's scream reminded him that there were other things that needed to be done. "Listen to me, we'll get out of here but-"

A man's guttural scream sounded through the air. Alexander turned around to see Elsa standing in front of the King. A spear of ice went straight through his shoulder. He was staring with wide eyes at the girl in front of him, shocked at what she'd done. "Call off your men," Elsa shouted, shoving the thicker part of the spear through his shoulder. "Now!"

"Back down!" the King shouted. Elsa's chest heaved in a deep breath. "Every body back down!"

"Zoe, get," Elsa swallowed down the pain again. "Get Kayleigh. Alexander, start securing men." Zoe's face was blotched and red, but she pulled away to move away from her brother and go straight to the girl who was balled up on the ground, clinging to her ripped bodice.

Elsa looked away from the King to check on everything. A flash of metal gleamed in the moonlight, the archer high in the tower. With a wave of her hand, a wall of ice shoved the King backwards and landed atop him to pin him down. "Alexander!" she screamed in warning, shooting a bolt of ice at the man and lunging towards her king, towards the man that she'd loved more than life itself.

The bolt didn't make it, her weakness showing. She saw the metal twisting in the tower, but she was already sprinting towards the Alexander, firing as many bolts as she could as she ran. None of them were making it to the shoot, but making him twist around and reposition himself. "Alexander!" she screamed again. He turned towards her, his brows furrowed in confusion before he saw Elsa shoot another beam and the shooter stand to fire.

"Elsa, no!" he screamed.

But he was too late.


	60. Chapter LIX

**Author's Note: I know that it's later than normal. Sorry about that. I have class all day and was too busy to put up chapters during class. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LIX**

Elsa lunged, needing to reach him before the arrow would. She didn't know that it was already loose. She didn't know that her sprinting and bolts of ice had already done their job. The arrow wouldn't hit Alexander. It was aimed straight from her because of the shooter's desperate attempt to get off one shot. Elsa jumped, her arms outstretched as the tip of the barbed arrowhead embedded itself in her skin. Her chest collided with Alexander's, his arms closed around her upper body.

"Call off your man!" Alexander snarled, sinking to the ground with Elsa wrapped in his arms. "Now!" The Duke trembled, but gave the signal for the archer to cease fire. Alexander looked up at the tower to make sure the man did as he asked, satisfied when the archer threw something that looked distinctly like a quiver over the tower wall. He turned his attention to Elsa, gently brushing her white hair away from her face. "Oh, Elsa, what did you do?" he asked her, his hand shaking as he brushed his fingers along her pale cheek. Even the rose that usually dusted her cheeks had disappeared.

Her eyelid lifted slowly, like she barely had the energy to lift them. Her eyes had always been so brilliantly blue, like the sky after a major storm had blown through. But now, they were dull, dying. There was no light in them, no warmth, no teasing glint. They weren't even frozen. "I think," she gasped, leaning her weight onto him, "it's pretty obvious what I did." Shaking laughter rumbled through him even as tears filled his eyes.

"This is not the appropriate time for your sense of humor, Elsa," he chastised, needing to hear her say something more. He rested his hand on her cheek, his palm brushing along her cheekbone. "That was a stupid, lass. You nearly got yourself killed." He wouldn't tell her how close to death she was; he wasn't going to let her die. "Zoe?" He looked up at his sister, who was staring in horror at Elsa and the arrow shaft that protruded from her back. "Zoe, is there a healer in this castle?"

"Kayleigh can do it," Zoe replied, bushing the younger girl forward. "We've been taking care of warriors' injuries since we were young." She turned the other girl for her as she spoke. The redhead nodded eagerly and turned back to Alexander, pointing to Elsa and then pointing to the castle. "Kayleigh says that we should bring her back inside."

"No; we're taking her to my ship," Alexander said sternly. "I won't allow any of you to stay in this keep any longer." He glared dangerously at the Duke as he gathered Elsa to his chest, taking caution to avoid the wound on her back and the blood that trickled on her thigh. "If you come after us or there is so much as a dagger flashed in our direction, believe me when I say that I'll kill you." The man was a weasel, a sniveling, driveling ferret who was more afraid than he was brave. His brain was probably jarred in his skull as he nodded his head again and again.

Alexander was torn between the need to take care of Elsa, and the need to secure Weselton and make sure that the bastards couldn't hurt another soul. He looked over at Zoe's watery eyes and the young girl that was clinging to her. They'd been through enough. He needed to take them out of there. "Zoe, is there anyone here that can be trusted?" Alexander asked his baby sister. The unfortunate thing was that he wasn't entirely certain he could trust her. After ten years, he didn't know her. He had to hope that she was as desperate to get away from this place as he was.

"Y-y-y-yes," Zoe stuttered. "Jacob; he's one of the soldiers." The boy in question stepped forward, his hands clenched behind his back and his neck bowed in respect. "He was caught in the Southern Isles, too; on the day of the raid," Zoe explained.

"Jacob?"

"Yes, King Alexander."

"Take Zoe and the young girl to find what they need to tend to Queen Elsa," he ordered. For the moment, he was going to have to trust Zoe's judgement and hope that she wasn't going to stab him in the back. He hoped she wouldn't; she'd spent so long in this castle, there was the possibility that she felt loyal to these people. They'd all but raised her. She could feel beholden to them. "Can you do this for me, Zoe? For Elsa?" His baby sister nodded solemnly. "Are there other people that we can trust here, Jacob?"

The boy shook his head sadly, ignoring the looks he received from men who called him friend. "Zoe, you and Jacob escort the King and his friend to the dungeon. Zoe bring me back the key. Jacob, you're in charge. You do what needs to be done. Lass," he nodded towards Kayleigh, "I need you aboard my ship." The girl didn't say a word, but she did nod and moved ahead of him towards the docks. "Are you sure that you can trust him, Zoe?" he asked her softly. The girl looked up at the young foot soldier and nodded. "Bring her to my ship when the King is secured, boy," he barked.

"Of course, Your Highness," the young man replied.

Holding Elsa tight in his arms, Alexander started toward his ship. "Are you awake, Elsa?" he asked her softly as he walked, choosing to moving swiftly instead of walking slow and keeping her from being too jostled. The faster he got her to the ship, the sooner she could get help. "Can you hear me, love?" She grunted in response. "You did it; you saved my sister. She's going to go home because of you."

Elsa turned her face into his chest and inhaled deeply, shudders rolling off of her body. "I couldn't stop them, Alexander. There were too many," she breathed. She wasn't making any sense. He could only hope that she hadn't started hallucinating from the pain. "Please; I just want Alexander. I tried. He has to forgive me. Please; I love you. Don't hate me. I tried everything I could. Please don't hate me Alexander." He thought that his heart was being torn from his chest at her soft please and desperate words for him to forgive her.

"I don't hate you, Elsa. I don't hate you," he promised her as he crossed the gangplank and boarded the small boat. "Are you ready with what you need, lass?" he asked the young girl who was staring eagerly at him. She nodded, frowned, bit her lip and then stepped closer. She cupped her hands over her ears and shook her head. "You don't speak?" he guessed. She smacked her palms over her ears again. "You don't hear." She nodded. "Fine; can you save her?" She nodded vigorously and motioned to the bed that she'd created. In truth, Alexander hadn't even thought about where he was going to put Elsa once he was aboard the ship. He just knew that he needed to get her away from that keep. He had to see to her needs first before they could get out.

Kayleigh had gathered every pillow that she could find and lain them on the deck. Using the sheers she'd dug up for cutting the thread she was going to use to stitch Elsa's wounds, she'd cut the hammock down and draped it over the pillows. Alexander noticed that she had tied the sides aloft to keep Elsa's body from hitting the deck. The bed was small, but would undoubtedly be more comfortable than lying on the hard wooden deck. The young girl motioned for Alexander to place her on the bed.

Alexander sank down onto the makeshift bed, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and the other around her hip. "It's done," Zoe shouted, leaping down from the horse she'd commandeered and marching up the gangplank. She tapped Kayleigh's shoulder when she got onto the boat and dropped a saddlebag onto the deck. "I got everything that we'll need for her," she told the deaf girl.

Elsa moaned and muttered something against his neck, where her face was plastered. Her hair was a wild mess around her face, her braid having come loose when he'd been running towards the ship. "Alexander," Zoe whispered softly. He looked up at the girl. She looked so much like his mother. His mother would've proud to see the woman that she'd grown up to be. "You have to let her go, Alexander. We have to cut the dress open to get to the arrow free and stitch her flesh up. Let her go," she instructed.

He was loathe to do it. He wanted nothing more than to keep her in his arms and hold her tight. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, holding his embrace longer than necessary. "Last time, Elsa. I promise you this is the last time."

"Damn it!" Zoe exclaimed. Alexander thought about chastising her for her language, but chose not to. "The arrow in her leg is deep. Too deep because she ran with it," Zoe muttered to herself. Kayleigh waved her hands at her best friend, pushing back the sleeves of her tattered dress and placing her lip between her teeth.

"What does that mean, Zoe?" Alexander asked her, staring at the sheers that were produced to start shredding her close.

"We should talk, Alexander. Come on," she said, patting her brother's arm.

"No, no; I can't leave her," Alexander said, fighting against the light hold.

"You have to Alexander. If you want Elsa to live, you have to leave her with Kayleigh." Alexander licked his lips and gazed down at Elsa again. "If you don't, she will _die_." It was the first time in his life that he actually believed the words.


	61. Chapter LX

**Author's Note: Okay, so we're deviating from the main storyline. Yes, this is done on purpose. The only other thing that I have to say is that I crave a little trust here. I never introduce y'all to random people. Start predicting if you'd like. We're heading back to Elsa and Alexander in the next chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LX**

Oliver inhaled deeply as he stepped off the boat and onto solid land. The Southern Isles, his home. He didn't mind traveling the seas or being with his brothers when they needed to go away for business dealings, but he always wanted to come home after a week or two. He always wanted to be home and with his brothers...and Emily. No matter what happened, he was determined to make the woman fall in love with him. He'd been in love with her for so many years, he couldn't even pinpoint an exact moment when he'd realized that he loved her.

The villager was far less busy than Oliver had been expecting. He threw his bag over his shoulder and took a few steps through the market place, looking around the various shops and street vendors. "Prince Oliver?" a voice whispered full of wonder. Oliver turned and frowned at the voice, just a woman throwing flowers. He was nothing special; he was just another Prince of the Southern Isles. He wasn't even one of the oldest, not that he wanted the responsibilities that came with being the older princes. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted, was allowed to goof off and still be afforded the respect of royalty. At least, until Alexander put him in his place.

People were murmuring his name all around him, all of them shocked to see him walking through the courtyard as if nothing had happened. "Prince Oliver!" a little boy gasped . He released his mother's hand and sprinted away, as if he'd seen a ghost and needed to find sanctuary in a church. Oliver frowned and looked around at the people that were staring at him in awe.

"Would someone like to explain to me what's going on?" Ollie asked, glancing at the flower shop he used to buy flowers from, flowers to give to Emily. Maybe she would appreciate a small bouquet. She'd been so stressed with all of the things that had happened with Hans and her father. She was recovering, slowly but surely, but she was still stressed about things. "I'll take the daffodils," Ollie said, digging into his pockets for a few coins to pay the young girl behind the cart. "Why are you looking at me like I'm supposed to be dead? I've lived in this kingdom my entire life," he said with a laugh.

"Ollie!" He wheeled around to see a whirl of pale pink skirts blowing through the wind until he was hit full on by a soft, curvaceous woman. Emily locked her arms around his neck and buried her face into his neck. Oliver was too stunned to wrap his arms around Emily, though he would regret it later. It was the first time that Emily had ever purposely pressed herself so close to him. "You're alive," she breathed in shock. Of course he was alive. What? Did she expect that he'd drowned at sea or something?

Hot, wet tears dropped onto his neck, splashing against his skin and trickling down to be absorbed in the fabric of his shirt. Instinct kicked in and he wrapped his arms around her, one hand splayed on her lower back and the other splayed between her shoulder blades. "Of course I'm alive," he replied, completely confused. "What did you think happened to me, silly girl?" he teased, hoping to jar her out of her grief. If there was one thing that Emily had always hated, it was being called girl. Their entire lives, she'd tried to be one of the boys.

"They said that you were dead," Emily breathed into his neck, tightening her hold on his neck. "They brought us home your ring."

"They couldn't have brought back my ring; I'm wearing it," he said, digging beneath his tunic to pull the chain out and show her the little ring dangling from the chain. She'd given it to him when he'd gone to war for the first time, only a few years earlier. "See, silly? I never take this damn thing off and you know it. It's my good luck charm."

He'd thought that the words would make her feel better, but it only made her dissolve into tears once more, her fingers clenched around his necklace this time. Unsure what to do, Oliver softly slid his hand up and down her back and rested his cheek against her hair. "Who told you that I was dead, Emily?" And why are you afraid of that happening? he asked himself. She sniffled and turned her face up to look at him, tucked into the cozy pocket beneath his shoulder. Ollie smiled at her and collected the stray strands around her face to tuck them behind her ear.

Emily had to wonder how she'd been such an idiot. For years, she'd had Oliver at her side. He'd defended her against the other boys. He always made sure that she was invited to the boys' adventures. And when she'd gotten older and needed safety, he'd made sure that she'd gotten work in the castle. Things with her and Ollie were so simple, so normal. He was the only one who treated her like a normal human being instead of a tomboy without a mother. It was her childhood that told her that she would never get married. No man wanted to marry a woman who didn't know the first thing about being a wife. Being a serving wench, sure; but a wife...

Everything between the two of them had been so blessedly normal until Hans had told her that Alexander and his brothers had died. Emily felt like her entire world had fallen apart in an instant. Living without Oliver in her life, without him there to tease her, without him there to tug on her hair, without him there to care for her, it didn't seem worth it. For days, she'd tried to go about her duties, but ultimately she'd lain down in her bed and sobbed like a maniac. She hadn't moved from that spot for two days. At least, until the flower maid's son rushed down the boardwalk, shouting that Prince Oliver was alive. She hadn't even straightened her dress before she'd left the room and flew to the market.

"Em?" She jarred herself out of her thoughts and looked back up at Oliver. He gently brushed a tear from her cheek and smiled at her. "Who told you that I was dead?" he asked again, his face soft as he held her close. Neither one of them cared that the entire marketplace was staring at them, waiting for something to come from their embrace.

"Hans," Emily admitted softly. "I was bringing him down some dinner and he told me about the letter that Klaus received. Elsa lied to your brother; she was using him because of some trade agreement that she was trying to make," she explained. "And then Elsa married the King of Weselton and they said that Zoe married the Prince. They explained some crazy scheme to you and your brothers and then...and then they killed you all!" She fought back the tears that were threatening to surge forward again. "Klaus is getting everyone ready to go and attack Weselton right now."

"We can't let them go!" Oliver practically shouted. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss against her

forehead. "You and I will catch up in a little bit. I have to go and stop a war before Hans gets everyone killed." He threaded their fingers together and towed her along behind him as he ran, his bag, the daffodils, the coins all forgotten at the flower cart. "I need you to stay in your house with your dad until I come and get you, just in case," he said, slowing to a stop outside her house.

"Wait, what? Where are you going?" she asked him, latching onto his wrist when he tried to walk away. "Ollie, you can't leave. What-what if something happens to you? Like, something real, this time?" she begged him quietly.

He cupped her soft cheek in his palm and leaned down to take her lips with his. Emily jolted, startled by the contact, but swiftly melted against him. It was a brief kiss, so much quicker than what Oliver wanted, but it was the only thing that he had time for at the moment. "Get back in the house, Emily. Please; I want you safe in case things go wrong." She nodded this time and slowly slid herself into the house. Oliver smiled to himself as he strode away. His entire family was in danger and all he could think about was how lovely it was to finally get to hold her and kiss her.

"Stop!" he shouted at the thundering hoofbeats he heard coming from the courtyard. His brothers came to jolting halts, Klaus, Nick, and Noah all slipping from their saddles. "Yeah, yeah; I know. I came back from the dead. That's not what we're talking about. Where's Hans?"

"We brought him back to the general cells; I don't have enough men to spare to watch him in his private cell," Klaus replied.

"You do now; Alex wants everyone to stay here. Liam and Lucas, you two get on the boat and sail for Weselton. The King took Elsa," he explained. "Nick, Noah, you two move Hans before we have a riot on our hands. We need to start weeding out the traitors. Hans is a part of this. Somehow, someway, he's pulling the strings here. We need to get him away from people. Now."

"Okay, and while we do that," Klaus said, "why don't you tell us about your resurrection."


	62. Chapter LXI

**Author's Note: Last chapter of the night! We'll start again tomorrow! Enjoy and review**

* * *

**Chapter LXI**

"I shouldn't have let her stay," Zoe said when she said that her brother was still looking over his shoulder at Elsa. Alexander's head came snapping back around at her quiet voice. For a decade, Zoe had been treated as little more than a serving girl. She'd learned to observe the people around them, to find out their strengths and weaknesses. And Alexander, even being her brother, was no different. She had the impression that talking about Elsa might capture her brother's attention long enough for Kayleigh to fish out the arrowhead.

"None of this is your fault, Zoe," Alexander said, the scowl fiercely embedded on his face. "Elsa," he scrubbed a tired hand over his face. "Elsa is about as stubborn as they come. Hesitant, but stubborn. Nothing you could've said or done, short of killing her, would've made her leave you." He looked over his shoulder at Elsa's form again. Kayleigh was hunched over Elsa's leg, working diligently to fix something that Alexander didn't even know about. "You have to tell me what happened, Zoe. Please; I should be there with her. She-she gave up everything to come here. I should give at least this back."

"You can't be anywhere near here, Alexander. What Kayleigh has to do... It's going to hurt Elsa; a lot. And if you're here, you'll hear her and you'll want to be there for her. But you can't do that," Zoe explained softly.

"What's wrong with her? Don't sugar coat it for me, Zoe. Tell me what we're looking at," he pleaded, wishing that he could go and comfort Elsa.

"The arrow hit her thigh, but we didn't think that it had hit anything vital. Elsa snapped the shaft so that she wouldn't have to run with it protruding from her leg. The problem is that the arrowheads are barbed. Every time that Elsa moved, the barbs grabbed onto new flesh and started tearing apart, from the inside out. Kayleigh has to find the arrowhead, taken it out without tearing more of Elsa's flesh, and stop the bleeding before she can sew Elsa back up. And while this is going on, Elsa still has the wound in her back. Kayleigh has to work quickly and, hopefully, while Elsa remains unconscious. It will prevent Elsa from fighting her," she explained softly. "Can I ask you a question?" she asked after a moment.

"If it's whether or not this will distract me, the answer is no," Alexander replied. He turned around and rested his hips against the ship's railing. "Ask away, Zoe. I owe you so much more than just answers."

"Why did it take you so long to come and find me?" she whispered, looking at the nothingness that extended beyond the ship's edge. "Until Elsa got here, I didn't know that you were looking for me at all. You never responded to the letters that we sent."

"I never got any letters. I didn't know where you were. I mean, not technically. I knew that you were with Weselton, but I couldn't prove it. And no matter how much I wanted to come and get you, Zoe, I couldn't. If I waged war against Weselton on unfounded claims, they could've attacked our keep. I know that it's wrong, but I had to pick. Did I risk you or do I risk the boys? I had to pick the lesser of two evils," he whispered. "I know that this isn't what you wanted to hear, Zoe. I just... I had to be honest with you. I knew that Weselton wouldn't kill you. He might...he might mistreat you, but I knew that he wouldn't let you come to harm."

"Thanks for being honest, I guess," she said, looking at the deck.

"I wanted you back, Zoe. After you were taken, I spent four years looking for you," he breathed. "I tried to get to you; I swear I did. I just couldn't get there. I wanted to save you. I tried to think of every way to save you." Zoe sniffed and swallowed hard and licked her lips. "Another one?" Alexander asked when Zoe had been silent for some time.

Zoe turned to look at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "If Elsa hadn't gotten that letter first, would you have come after me?"

Alexander couldn't stand it anymore. He jerked his baby sister into his arms and wrapped her up in his embrace. "If I had gotten that letter first isn't even a question, Zoe. Even if I'd gotten the letter before Elsa, she would've found out what it says. The two of us would've come up with a plan and gotten you out. Admittedly, Elsa getting shot...twice...wasn't a part of any plan that I have in my head."

"You love her, don't you?" Zoe asked, her words mumbled by by his shirt. "She loves you."

"What do you know about love, baby sister?" he chuckled, not wanting her to question whether or not he would pick her or Elsa if the situation ever came down to it. She'd been through enough.

"Jacob," she sighed wistfully, her heart stuttering in her chest. "I've loved him since I was eight. That was when he was brought up from the Southern Isles."

"Two years after you were taken?" Alexander asked for clarification. Zoe nodded, inhaling the scent of her brother. He smelled just like she remembered her father smelling. He smelled like coffee bean and apples and leather and a little sweat. She felt as safe in his arms as she had when her father had been the one hugging her. While she was absorbed in her memories, Alexander was trying to figure out who the bastard that had befriended his sister was. There had been no children reported missing in the time frame that Zoe gave. The boy wasn't from the Southern Isles.

"Where's your friend, Jacob?" Alexander asked softly.

"Please, save the big brother scare talk until we get home. Jacob is coming with us, right?"

No. "Maybe; I just need to talk with him first, Zoe. I need to make sure that he's-"

Elsa screamed, her back bowing and her lower body going stiff. Kayleigh clamped down on the queen's leg and shot a desperate look at Zoe. "Jacob is keeping watch by the ship," Zoe said, scurrying towards the makeshift hospital area. "He said he didn't want to risk something happening to me. I have to help Kayleigh and Elsa. You need to get off the boat or go below deck or-" Elsa screeched again and Kayleigh found the arrow embedded in her thigh.

"I can't leave her!" he screamed at his sister, fighting the urge to throttle the woman. It wouldn't have mattered who it was. It could've been Anna or even his own mother and he would've felt the same. He heard his sister calling for someone, even as she kept her hand pressed against his chest to keep him from reaching Elsa.

Strong arms wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him away. The arms locked behind his neck, obliterating the use of his hands to grab his weapon. "I won't leave her. I can't leave her. She'll get hurt! She'll die. You told me that she might die without help. I need to help her!" Elsa was screaming again, only this time she was calling for him, begging him to forgive her, begging him to save her.

"You need to calm down, King Alexander!" the boy grunted, throwing the King onto the dock. Alex was still screaming and repeating his pleas for someone to let him back onto the boat. "Alexander!" the boy shouted, shoving the king to the ground, Alexander's desperation making him clumsy. "I know you're the king, but you have to be a man, first. And right now, your woman needs you to keep a level head. You can't go off all half cocked today. You need to think clearly."

Realizing who it was that he was talking to, Alexander lost it. He gripped the man's shirt and started hauling him towards the nearest building. He thrust the younger man against the side of the building. "Who the hell are you?" he growled at him, pinning his forearm across the man's throat.

"That's not keeping a level head," he coughed, his voice hoarse and strangled.

"I know that you're not from the Southern Isles," Alexander continued, putting more pressure on the man's throat. "You've been playing my sister, but you won't play me. Who are you? Where did you come from? What is it that you want from my sister?" he growled, knocking him a little against the wall. "Answer me or die. And trust me, I'll find a way to explain it all to Zoe."

"You're right, I'm not from the Southern Isles. My name is Jacob. Jacob Hannigan," he managed, trying to get air through his lungs. "I'm from here. And I'm not playing your sister. I don't want anything from her. I love her!"


	63. Chapter LXII

**Author's Note: Morning all! So...we have a few housekeeping things. Updates might be dropping down to twice a day instead of triples. I am about to start dead week and finals week and I need to make sure that I get my work done and do well on my finals. Also, if you read the other stuff I've written, be advised that I will be updating those today or tomorrow. I just needed a break from all things Pack. Also, because of one of my plot twists, and the way my brain works, this story will now be longer than I had been expecting! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXII**

Alexander contemplated just killing the man and being done with the entire thing. There were a million different excuses he could make to Zoe, a million different things that he could tell her. He could even tell her the truth. But something, probably the fact that Elsa was screaming like a banshee, stopped him from saying anything. He released his hold on the boy's throat a little, but kept him pinned against the wall. "Start talking. I want the entire story," he warned, keeping the man's tunic in his fists.

"I'm from Weselton," the boy began. "I've lived here my entire life. When I was ten, they brought Zoe here. I didn't see her at first. I worked mostly in the stables. But my father…" The young man looked away, as if what he was about to say pained him. "My father was the king's lieutenant, in charge of seeing to Zoe's care. He said that what they were doing to her was unconscionable. Taking her from her home, forcing her to act like a serving girl, he hated all of it."

"So your father is one of the many men who saw what she was going through but didn't do anything," Alexander deduced. "Great; I'll put him on the list."

"He's dead," Jacob shouted. "My father tried to sneak Zoe out and get her onto a boat, so he could have her brought back to the Southern Isles. And after they made him watch them beat Zoe, they took her back to that closet they called a room. Then they made me watch."

"Watch?" Alexander repeated.

"You're that dense?" Jacob shook his head. "They killed my father for helping Zoe and made me watch as they did it. The last thing that he made me swear was that I would take care of your sister, make sure that she had someone to watch out for her." Alexander dropped his hand fully now, watching the man look longing up on the now silent boat. "Zoe doesn't trust anyone from Weselton. I knew that she would never let me near her if she knew what I was from, even if I told her who my father is. So I lied; I told her I was from the Southern Isles. I became her friend and then her protector. And…eventually…I fell in love with her."

It was a plausible story. A good lie, even. But it was something that he found himself believing. "You don't have to believe me, King Alexander," Jacob continued. "You can throw me in the brig of this boat. Tie me to the mast. I don't care. But please, please, let me go with you. Take me back to the Southern Isles. I'll tell Zoe everything, the whole truth. She can hate me; I don't care. But I've watched after her for eight years, Your Highness. All I ask is that you let me continue with that job. I won't talk to her again, if that's what she wants. I won't even come within a hundred feet of her, if she decides that she hates me that much. I just need to be close enough to make sure that no one else can hurt her."

"Please, Alexander, please!" Elsa screamed. "Make it stop!" Alexander clenched his eyes shut, digging his fingernails into the palms of his hands and listening to Zoe's demands that he stay away for her protection. "I'm sorry! Please, make it stop!" she was begging. He allowed himself to take a deep, shuddering breath against the desire to run for her.

"We'll take you back with us," Alexander whispered. "But you might have to wait until my brothers arrive. I'll need their ship if I'm supposed to take you, me, Elsa, Zoe, and Kayleigh back to Arendelle. We'll stay in Arendelle until they've secured Weselton and returned to Elsa's kingdom." I might even stay longer, Alexander muttered to himself. "I owe you a lot, Jacob. I owe you everything. I think that you should tell Zoe the truth, but if you chose not to, I won't tell her."

"You won't?"

"No," Alexander said with a sigh. "It's not my information to tell. Admittedly, you know my sister better than I do, but here's something I'm sure that no one has told you: there's a lot you're willing to put up with she you're in love. Zoe loves you. I don't think that finding out that you're the son of the man who tried to save her life will make her hate you."

"There were other reasons to lie," he admitted. "When the older guards retired and new guards took their places, the new guards didn't realize that I wasn't from the Southern Isles. They frequently lumped me and Zoe together, since we were both from the Southern Isles. It gave me the chance to take care of her, to be close to her without raising suspicions. I had more than one reason to lie to her, I swear."

"I'm sorry that I got a little, uh, rough with you," Alexander muttered, pointing to the abrasion he'd created on the man's neck. "I had to check things out. She's my baby sister."

"I'd think less of you if you hadn't threatened my life," Jacob replied, extending his hand to the King. "I always knew they had to be lying to her about you. They told her so many times that you didn't want her."

"And you just couldn't understand that, because you see all the good?" Alexander asked. "Yeah; I know the feeling." He stared back at the boat, thinking that it was too quiet and Elsa had to be dead. "It sucks to be the one who sees the good when they don't see it themselves." Elsa screamed so loudly this time, Alexander actually stepped towards the boat. "If that were Zoe up there, would you stand here and let them work on her without you there?"

"Hell would have to freeze over and you'd have to kill me first," Jacob replied.

The hammock and sheets that Kayleigh had laid out were covered in blood. The deaf, young woman was bent over Elsa's back and side now, while Zoe struggled to hold Elsa still. Every so often, Kayleigh would look up and shoot Zoe an exasperated look, but there was nothing the princess could do. Elsa was fighting with everything she had. Half of his boat was covered in ice. "Let me hold her still," Alexander whispered. He'd never been one to grow squeamish at the sight of blood, but the amount that was surrounding his Elsa was enough to make him want to vomit. "I'm stronger than you, Zoe. And this way you can help Kayleigh."

Zoe took a deep breath and looked at Kayleigh. The healer was still completely focused on her work, but took the time to glance at her friend. She raised a hand in dismissal and continued with her work. "Alexander," Elsa whimpered. Alex shot his sister a desperate look, pleading with her to let him hold her.

"Fine," Zoe muttered. "You can't let your emotions get to you, Alex. Don't let her move."  
He agreed readily enough and scrambled to Elsa's side. She mumbled his name over and over again. "I'm here, love," he whispered into her ear and rested his cheek against hers. "I'm right here now. My sister and Kayleigh are going to patch you up. And then we're going to go home." Elsa's lips moved continuously against his skin as she pleaded with him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and another around her hip, drawing her against his chest. He gave Kayleigh a nod when she looked up at him in question.

Elsa's screams nearly shattered his eardrums, but he refused to let her go, even for a moment. It seemed like hours later when Kayleigh was holding a cloth against the wound in Elsa's back, Zoe holding another against Elsa's thigh. "The bleeding's stopped in her back," Zoe informed him as he smoothed Elsa's hair away from her face. "Kayleigh is going to lay a bandage down. It will be best if we keep Elsa's on her side so that she doesn't roll onto the stitches while it heals."

"And her leg?" Alexander whispered, afraid to wake the ice queen when she'd finally found some rest.

"The bleeding is…manageable," Zoe whispered. "Do you have stationary here, Alex?" she asked suddenly.

"Below deck in the storage room," Alex replied. "Why?"

"Kayleigh doesn't speak and she can't hear, but she can write. She'll be able to tell you what she's done for Elsa," Zoe explained.

"Just answer me this: will Elsa make it through the night?" Kayleigh's gaze was riveted on his face as she tried to decipher his words from the movements on his lips. She nodded her head with surety, enough that Alexander felt it safe to dismiss everyone. "Go find your rest, girls. There are spare hammocks in the trunks down below. Thank you, Kayleigh, for saving her life." The girl shrugged, as she'd done nothing noteworthy. "And Zoe?" he called when she was heading towards the stairs that led below. "You can say goodnight to him, but that lad stays ashore. Understand?"

"Less than a day and he's already acting like a big brother," Zoe muttered scathingly.

Kayleigh concocted a potion and forced it down Elsa's throat. The white haired queen sputtered and coughed, but Kayleigh managed to get the desired amount ingested. She put the cup to the side and pressed her palms together, resting her knuckles against her cheek and closing her eyes briefly. "It will help her sleep," Alexander guessed. Kayleigh nodded. "I don't know what has happened to you in your lifetime, lass, but you'll be safe with me and my brothers. No harm will come to you again." Kayleigh pressed a hand over her heart, even as a tear trickled down her cheek.

Alexander rested Elsa more securely in his arms. "You, too, Elsa," he told her softly. "I'm never leaving you again. And you're never going to be harmed again. I swear it love." He tucked her head beneath his chin, listening to the breeze drips to over the sails and through the trees. A creak on the gangplank pulled him from then brink of sleep, a step on the wood.

He leapt uproot and grabbed for his knife. "It's just me!" Zoe screamed. "I was going to say goodnight to Jacob!"

Alexander relaxed with Elsa alongside him, tucking a fur around her shoulders to keep her warm. "You should wake up soon, love," he told her. "I have no idea what to do with a sister, let alone one that's in love."


	64. Chapter LXIII

**Author's Note: Because I just kind of sprang my decision to go down to double updates on you guys today, I'll give you one last triple. PLEASE READ. Staring tomorrow, I will only be posting two chapters a day. Okay? I hope to see the same number of reviews, though. I really love them, guys. **

* * *

**Chapter LXIII**

Elsa didn't stir at any point during the night. When Alexander woke early the next morning to go and force Jacob aboard for a little rest, Elsa didn't move. It was as if she didn't even realize that he'd been there. Jacob had stood guard the entire night, his hand clasped behind his back."You should get some sleep. I would tell you to go to your home, but the soldiers might kill you," Alexander said, his lips twitching ever so slightly. "You can find a hammock to sleep in." Jacob nodded and turned towards the ship. "On deck," Alexander added for good measure.

"I figured as much," Jacob replied with a smile. "Do you have another hammock? I can sleep on the deck with a blanket."

"Whatever suits you," Alexander replied. He sank down onto the boat's wooden deck, resting his legs on the gangplank.

"You know, it's easier to watch from solid ground," Jacob said with a smirk on his face.

"Yeah, but it's not easier to watch over Elsa," Alexander explained. He sat there the entire morning, until Zoe and Kayleigh appeared with the biscuits they'd found below.

Watching his sister with the young soldier proved that the two loved each other. When the tide smacked against the boat and teetered the vessel, Jacob wrapped a steadying hand around Zoe's arm and pulled her more towards his chest. The girl blushed furiously and rested her hand against his chest. At that point, Alex looked away. Not to avoid intruding on their private moment, but because he was struggling. In his mind, Zoe was still the six-year-old baby sister that he'd left behind when he'd gone to war. Consciously, he knew that Zoe wasn't a child anymore. But knowing it and seeing her were two different things.

Kayleigh hadn't moved from Elsa's side since the young healer had opened her eyes. She'd pressed and dabbed at the blood that was trickling from Elsa's thigh. Her face seemed to be pressed in a permanent scowl as she lifted the sheets covering Elsa's body and focused her attention on the wound. It wasn't the first time that Alexander wondered what her life had been like. Her hair was almost orange, like the sunset when it was just beginning to streak across the sky. She'd tied it back with a thin piece of ribbon, but the curls were so voluptuous that the ribbon disappeared from view.

The girl seemed okay around Jacob, comfortable around Zoe, but completely avoided Alexander at all costs, even after he'd promised her safety. When the two of them were forced to be in the same space, Kayleigh either became absorbed with Elsa's wounds or retreated into herself. Whatever she'd been through had obviously been done to her by men. Not to mention that Alexander had seen the men grab at her and tear her dress's bodice. He'd meant what he'd said about taking care of her, about keeping her safe. If Elsa survived, it would be because of Kayleigh.

Jacob eventually ran back to the castle to ensure that the king of Weselton was still in the dungeon. Zoe and Kayleigh took themselves back below deck to sleep again. Alexander sat by Elsa's side another night. If it wasn't for the fact that her chest was rising and falling and her breath was whispering from her nose to his chest, he would've thought that she was dead. He couldn't leave the kingdom until he was sure that his brothers had arrived and could keep the king and the duke from escaping.

The sway of the boat woke him sun time in the middle of the night. Alexander curled his arm tighter around Elsa's waist and reached for his dagger. "Relax," a familiar voice said. "It's just me." Still holding Elsa closer and closing his fist around the dagger, he looked up at his brother. For the first time in his life, Liam wasn't smiling. His gaze was riveted on Elsa's bare shoulder and the bloodied cloths that littered the deck. "What happened to her?" he asked seriously. "Is she going to be okay?" he asked again.

Elsa was still in the exact same position she'd been in before Alexander had drifted off to sleep, which frustrated him more than her injury. Gently, he pulled the fur blanket back up over her shoulder, but made no move to get up. His brothers would just have to get over it. "She's going to be just fine," Alexander whispered more to Elsa than to Liam. "Did you bring Lucas?"

"I can't believe that you're alive," Liam said in some awe and shock. Knowing that he needed to talk to his brothers and that he could't do so lying on cushions holding Elsa close, Alexander slid his arm from beneath Elsa's soft hair, cupping her head in his palm as he shifted her away from him. But even when her head flopped against the pillow he'd replaced his arm with, she didn't stir. "Are you sure she's going to be okay?" Liam asked, staring at her fearfully.

"The healer gave her a potion to help her sleep," Alexander replied instead of giving a real answer. He covered Elsa more securely. She was mostly naked; she might as well be. The back of her body was bare, her undergarments and dress having been cut and hacked away. The front of her was only covered because he hadn't bothered to pull her arms out of the sleeves. "I'm sure that she's just feelings its effects. Jacob!" he called out.

"Oh, so you know the man that won't let us on the boat. We had to come aboard like pirates, swinging from the mast," Liam muttered when Jacob was walking aboard the ship. "Could you call Lucas up?" the twin demanded, obviously frustrated to be on enemy soil, outnumbered, and ignorant of who were their allies. Alexander nodded to Jacob who turned around and curled his fingers in a come hither motion so the man could board.

"Jacob, I need you to keep watch. I know normally I'd relieve you of the duty now, but these are two of my brothers. They need to be filled in on what has been going on here. I'm sure that you're tired, but—" Alexander looked over his shoulder at the woman he couldn't wait to whisk away. "I need you to watch them, all of them. Keep them safe. I'll be back in no more than an hour; I promise." The boy nodded. "And if, if anything happens to Elsa, if she wakes up or moves or cries or anything, come and get me."

"Yes, King Alexander," the boy said. He rested his hips against the boat's edge and looked out over Weselton. "I suspect we'll be leaving soon then, King?" he asked when Alexander was leading the line down the gangplank.

"After I get back, yes. I'll talk to my brothers and we'll plan to switch vessels. Then we just have to get the girls on that ship," Alexander replied. "Watch over the girls, Jacob. We'll be back." He took the gangplank and took to the shore for the first time since he'd gotten to Weselton nearly three days earlier. "Elsa put herself in the middle of everything. She gave herself over to the King of Weselton in exchange for Zoe. Obviously, the King lied to her. He kept them both until, according to Zoe, she decided that they needed to escape. When the three of them were trying to escape, Elsa came to injury. Of course, not before she could injure the King. Jacob brought him to the dungeon. We have to decide on his punishment. I, for one, am quite fond of death."

"Never thought I'd hear those words leave your lips," Lucas said. Alexander had never been one for the death penalty. He always tried to find another way, even if he had to banish someone. Elsa's condition had to be far more serious than they were being told for Alex to want to kill someone. It just wasn't his style.

"Gather the men in the courtyard, every single one that you can find. Then we'll deal with the king and then, you guys can see our sister," Alexander said. Though both men were wanting to see to their sister immediately, the twins knew that they needed to see to the girl's safety first. They'd waited a decade to see her; they could wait another hour.

When the men were gathered in the courtyard, Alexander took the top stare and shouted over the crowd, "Your King is no longer the ruler of this land. He's a horrid man, who captures and tortures innocent children and women for his own gain. He's killed your own for having a conscience. The men who have forced themselves upon you and craved your submission are no longer a part of your lives. Now, I understand loyalty. I understand that some of you may feel loyal to the man that you've called King for decades now. We'll give you the choice: you can gather your things, your families, your provisions, and you can leave. Or, you can give us the chance to prove our loyalty. You don't hurt us, we won't hurt you. You don't cross us, we won't cross you. You don't betray us, and everyone should get along just fine."

"So, if we say we don't what rats from the Southern Isles to be ruling over us?" someone shouted.

"Then get out. Take your provisions, take your families, and get the hell out or get into jail," Alexander snapped. "You have a day. Make your decisions."

"You think that was a smart idea?" Liam asked when the three of them were heading down to the dungeons.

"It's the only choice we have. We can't let the King and the Duke take hold of things again. They've hurt more than enough people," Alex replied. "Looks like Klaus will get a title after all."


	65. Chapter LXIV

**Author's Note: As promised, a third chapter tonight. Tomorrow, we'll begin double updates (instead of triples) Sorry! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXIV**

Oliver rounded the corner to the prison, anxious to see that Hans was being properly transferred. Once he was sure of that, he could go back to Emily and explain everything to her. He could tell her how much he'd loved her, how long he'd been waiting for her to show some sign of affection, how long he'd been waiting to kiss her. He wasn't going to settle for a short peck this time. Oh, no; he was going to show Emily everything that had been locked in his heart; hopefully, everything that had been locked in her heart, too.

He took the stairs two at a time, whistling a merry toon that died on his lips when he saw the men sprawled on the ground and the cell gate open. Praying silently, he checked each man to see if he was breathing before dashing up the stairs. Hans was still only an attempted murderer. "Klaus! Klaus, he's escaped! Hans has escaped!" Oliver shouted as he dashed back up the staircase. "Christian! Klaus! Nick! Noah!" he shouted off name after name, hoping that someone would hear him and get to Hans before Hans could get to anyone else. He rushed across the courtyard, at the chapel before he was forced to stop.

"Where's the fire, brother?" a voice asked, stopping him dead in his tracks. Swallowing passed the lump in his throat, Oliver turned around and stared at his brother, one of the boys that he'd shared a womb with. It was nearly impossible to imagine that one of his brothers could be as dangerous and deadly as Hans was. He wondered where things had gone wrong. He and Jonas were close, but not only closer than he and Hans could've been. "You look like someone's about to commit a murder."

"That's entirely up to you now, isn't it, Hans?" Oliver retorted. "You've already hurt me. You tried to have Emily killed or exiled. You're going after Elsa because Alexander cares about her. I don't know what you're doing to the rest of us, but I'm sure you've got some more tricks up your sleeves. Am I wrong?" Hans smiled at him, his eyebrows lifted high as he regarded his brother.

"You know me well enough to know that I always have a plan, Ollie. Emily served a greater purpose than hurting you. I must say, I know that you're infatuated with the girl, but you should find someone with a little more brains. She was so desperate for someone to love her that she was willing to fall all over me the moment that I said I loved her," Hans replied.

"But that's your pattern, isn't it? You did it with Princess Anna in Arendelle. And you did it again here, with Emily. What I can't figure out is what Emily did for you? You're not getting a kingdom from her. So, why are you using her?" Oliver demanded, needing to make sure that Emily wasn't still a target.

"Don't you get it?" Hans asked, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of a knife that he'd taken from someone. "All I have to do is stir the pot a little. When everything goes wrong, you'll stand by Emily. Jonas will take up his silent refuge. Christian and Sebastian will try to fight to keep everyone calm. Nick and Noah will try to diffuse the situation through jokes. Alex will protect his little queen. Tobias and Elias will hide in a corner, like they did the day of the raid. And Liam and Lucas will stand by the king, even when he's wrong. Klaus will try to take things over. And me? I'll slip away and go and take care of the kingdom that I left in shambles."

"Arendelle?" Ollie guessed.

"Arendelle was just one stop on the journey. Admittedly, getting Anna to marry me would've been great. It would've been so much easier than what I've had to go through, but I suppose beggars can't be choosers." He just shrugged as he looked at the confused light in his brother's eyes. "Oh, let me explain. You see, Weselton and I have been planning this for years. I was eight when they took Zoe and twelve when they wrote the first ransom letter."

"First?"

"Oh yeah, they've tried again and again. See, originally, their plan had been to ransom Zoe back to us. But I got that letter from the delivery boy and realized that it was nice not having Zoe around. She wasn't there whining behind us or begging to play with our toys. It was great. So, I burned the letter. And then another one came. And another. And another. By the time I was sixteen, the only letters that came to you guys were the ones I let you see," Hans explained with a laugh. "One day, Weselton wrote and demanded that we give them money. I wrote back."

"You left Zoe there on purpose? When they only wanted money from us?" Oliver demanded, fighting the urge to throttle his brother. Of course Zoe had been difficult; she'd been a child. That didn't mean that she should have been stuck in Weselton her entire life.

"Have you ever thought about the three biggest countries in our region of the world? It would be us, Weselton, and Arendelle. Now, if one or two people were to control all three countries, they would be one of the richest men in the world. It would put them in a great position to start taking over everything else around us," Hans said with a smile. "If Anna would've married me, it would've been so much easier. But we had a back up plan. Elsa would marry the King of Weselton. They'd keep Zoe until she was old enough to marry the Prince of Weselton. He thought that I would take his word on it, that we would have a treaty. By I just figured that once everything was in play, I'd kill the king, marry Elsa, since I lost Anna, and then I'd control everything. If I left you guys in fractions, then I could take the thrown here. Everything is falling into place without me even trying. Oh, see? I've stalled enough just telling you my nice little story for my plan to come together."

He waved his hand forward, motioning for someone to come forward. An old man stumbled into the area, dragging a rope behind him. "This is Zachary," Hans introduced. "You probably don't remember him. He used to be the man that sailed us around before Dorsey. He lost his job because Dad believed allegations that Dorsey made against him. He's hated Dad ever since; he's the one who told Weselton how to get into the Kingdom the night of the raid."

The old man hobbled forward and tugged sharply on the rope. Emily walked forward, her hands bound by the rope and her eyes glistening with tears. "They said that they'd kill you and my father if I didn't go with him, Ollie; I'm so sorry!" Emily shouted.

"It's fine, Emily; everything is going to be okay," Ollie assured her. He hadn't brought a weapon that he was truly skilled in, only his bow and quiver.

"Everything is not going to be okay, Emily," Hans told her surely. "Ollie, I'm giving you the choice. You let me walk out of here and get to the boat and you can have the girl back. Or, you can stop me. But you can't do both. Zachary here will kill here before you can so much as draw your bow. We both know how terrible you are with that thing anyways," Hans added.

Metal glinted in the sunlight as Christian took mark at the old man. He wouldn't kill him, but he would wound the man enough to let go of his captive. He nodded at Oliver, hoping the younger boy would see the movement. "You're not getting out of here, Hans," Ollie promised, casting a look at Emily and begging her to trust him. "And you're not getting Emily."

"You sound so sure of himself for a man who can't even hit a hay bale with that thing," Hans said, sure that he was going to get free of this. "Emily, dear, please come here," he said, extending a hand to the girl. Ollie's heart dropped. He was already a terrible shot. The last thing that he needed was to hit Emily in his attempt to protect her. Emily hesitated, looking between Hans and Oliver.

"I don't want to kill you, Hans," Oliver warned, drawing his bow forward and putting it into position. "Alexander doesn't want you to die."

"Come here, Emily. You never know how many men I have. They could be waiting to kill your father," Hans warned. Christian was forced to lower his bow while Emily moved to stand in front of Hans. Oliver drew the bow taught with an arrow from his quiver, taking a deep breath. "You don't want to risk hitting your girl, Ollie," Hans warned, closing a hand around Emily's throat and leaning in to press his cheek against hers. "He really is a terrible shot, dear."

"Do you trust me, Em?" he asked her. She whimpered, her lip quivering as she nodded. He loosed the arrow, watching it fly through the air and press itself into flesh. Hans groaned as he stumbled back, the arrow having hit him in the left shoulder, mere inches from Emily's neck. Christian shot off his own arrow, hitting the man's calf before he could fight against them and defend Hans, the one person who'd allowed him vengeance.

Hans fell to the ground as Emily stumbled forward. Oliver lowered his bow and caught her to his chest, his lungs heaving as the emotions roiled through him. He'd come within inches of killing her. That arrowhead could've pierced her neck. She could've have been killed...by him. Desperately, he pressed his mouth to hers and kissed her with all her the worry and fear. "Well, would you look at that," Christian said, looking down at the entwined couple. "Looks like Ollie finally hit his target."


	66. Chapter LXV

**Author's Note: Alright, y'all, we're staring double updates today. I want to take a moment to thank you guys for understanding. I really wish that I could continue with triple updates, but it's just not possible at this moment. Maybe once finals are over (Second week of May!). All right? Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXV**

The world around her was blurry when Elsa pried her eyes open again. She didn't recognize the man that was sitting at her side. His hair was dark, darker than Alexander's. He seemed to be taller than Alexander but not nearly as broad. Speaking of Alexander, or at least thinking about him, where was he? She'd gone through all the trouble of saving Zoe; the least the he could do was spend time with his sister. She hadn't even gotten a chance to kiss him again. That was all that she really wanted to do.

Elsa blinked slowly, realizing that her brain was so muddled that she wasn't making sense. She could hear voices around her, but it sounded like someone had stuffed her ears with cotton. She couldn't really hear them, just the low tones of their words. Footsteps thudded against the deck, vibrating the wood beneath her ear. An angel dropped down at her side, the light silhouetting the person's face. Rough fingers dragged along her cheekbone as the angel spoke, the deep voice rumbling from a solid chest that began to crowd around her. "Want to hurt you, Elsa," the angel muttered.

Why would an angel want to hurt her? That made no sense. She knew that she wasn't the best person to ever walk the planet, but she hardly deserved divine retribution. Her eyelids drifted closed then as warmth surrounded her and something pride her body from the sheet that she was lying on. Pain screamed at her spine as she was lifted in the air. "Alexander," she sobbed, wishing that he was there to take her from her personal hell. Every part of her body felt burned and bruised. Her leg and back felt like someone was holding her over open flames.

"I'm here, Elsa," the angel told her, his lips brushing against her cheek. "I'm going to take you home now, love. You're safe." She could feel herself being bounced around, sliding in someone's arms. She wanted so desperately to cling to the angel, to the rock that would keep her from falling to her death. "Sh, love; I'm not going to let you fall. You're not going to die. You have to live so that you can drive mad all the into our old age." That was hardly a romantic thing to tell someone. He was supposed to tell her that he loved her, not that he wanted her to drive him mad.

Alexander had known such hope when he'd come aboard the ship to see Elsa's eyes open. But as he carried her down the gangplank, he soon realized that she wasn't seeing much of anything. He gathered her close and started walking, ignoring a fretting Kayleigh as he marched with determination. The healer could check Elsa once he had her in the soft bunk that waited on his brothers' ship. He just wanted to be on his way, to start back towards Arendelle, where he could sure that no more harm would come to Elsa.

He boarded the ship and ignored the small crew that his brothers had brought up from the Southern Isles. Liam and Lucas wouldn't have brought the men if they couldn't be trusted. Kayleigh trailed behind him, anxious to see to her patient. Whatever caution of strangers she had did not extend to her patients. She didn't go to stand beside Zoe or Jacob, who were standing at the wheel waiting for Alexander to give orders. No, Kayleigh followed him down to the captain's bunk, where Alexander deposited the precious bundle in his arms.

Kayleigh checked the wounds while Alexander sat at her side and brushed hair from the queen's face. The deaf healer gave him a decisive nod when she'd finished her brief examination. "Will you tell the crew to cast off?" he asked, praying for a moment or two to try and make Elsa conscious again. Kayleigh pursed her lips, went to the desk and began scribbling while Alexander looked down at Elsa.

_I can make her another sleeping draft, to help her sleep,_ the scrap of parchment read. _I don't know how long this trip will take and I don't want her to be uncomfortable._

"It's a short trip," Alexander assured her. "And I'd prefer to try and speak with her. Would you be able to prepare another drink for her this evening? Maybe not one that is quite so strong?" She nodded easily, her eyes dead to him. "Good; thank you. Could you go and ask Zoe to tell the crew to cast off?" She nodded again and left without another motion. Alexander sank down on the mattress beside Elsa, looking at the pale wash of her skin. He longed to see a dusting of blush on her cheeks again, the cherry red of her lips, the crystal blue of her eyes.

"Elsa? Love?" he whispered in her ear, leaning over her and stroking up and down her shoulder blade. "I'm here with you. You've been asking for me, begging me to forgive you. I'm here, now. Can't you yell at me to my face?"

"No."

The word was soft, barely more than a puff of air against his neck. "Come now," Alexander coaxed, brushing his hands over her spine, narrowly avoiding the line of stitches on her spine. "I've been waiting for almost three days for you to wake up. I just want more than one word from your lips."

"I refuse," she replied. Alexander's lips twitched as he peppered her face in kisses. Her skin was hot and dry, but still as smooth as always. "I'm tired; I just want to go to sleep." His heart cheered t her soft, hoarse voice. He watched her lips form sweet word after sweet word, her lips barely moving as she spoke.

"I'll let you go to sleep after you've opened your eyes and looked at me," he proposed, fighting to keep himself calm as he pleaded with her to open her eyes. Elsa blinked against the light that streamed in from the small windows beside the bed. Alexander held his breath, feigning patience as his heart pounded in his ears. Her dark lashes parted, revealing blue eyes that were as bright as ever, if not a little hazy. Her lips tweaked in a small smile, a small showing that she had indeed recognized him. Relief flooded through himself, he thought his heart might have stopped.

Unable to help himself, he wrapped his arms around her as gently as his emotions would allow and pulled her into a tight hug. He buried his face in her loose hair, feeling the tears that he would never let fall well up in his eyes. "Thank God," he sighed, pressing his lips against her scalp, the shell of her ear, her temple, her forehead. "Thank God; I thought I was going to lose you." He brushed his lips along her cheek now, heading for her mouth. Elsa sighed beneath his lips and melted a little more into his embrace. "You are either the bravest or stupidest person I've ever met," he informed her. He wanted desperately to press her onto her back, to roll her beneath the shelter of his body where she would be safe, to kiss her until she was as insensible as he was, just from hearing the sound of her sleep drugged voice.

But he couldn't.

If he wanted her to heal well, he couldn't exhaust her and he couldn't expect her to do more than she was ready for. "The Prince is supposed to compliment the princess on her beauty, wit, and charm," Elsa mumbled from her cozy spot beneath his chin.

"Ah, well, I'm a King, not a Prince. That means that I get to do whatever I want," he retorted. He was fairly certain that Elsa was so out of it, she didn't feel the trembling of his hand as he stroked up and down her shoulder blades, across her neck, as he relished in the feel of holding her and hearing her again.

"Where are we?" she asked in a soft voice, leaning back to look up at the ceiling of the small room.

"We're till in Weselton, but we're leaving right now. We're going home, to Arendelle," he promised her softly. Her energy was flagging, the draught that Kayleigh made still lingering in her system. She mumbled something under her breath that sounded like his sister's name. Leave it to Elsa to be thinking about someone else when she was lying on her deathbed. Not her deathbed, he told himself sternly. "Zoe is fine; she's on board the ship with us. I'm sure she wants to see you, love." She repositioned herself, albeit stiffly, the energy officially drained out of her.

Elsa listened to Alexander's heart thud evenly. The sound was warming; it reminded her of safety and soft kisses. "I'm going to keep you safe. You'll be home in no time, sweetheart," he promised her again.

"You're wrong," she yawned, snuggling deeper into his embrace and ignoring the pain that ricocheted through her body. Alexander fiddled with her soft hair and looked down at the pained brow that countered her softly closed eyes. "You're here with me; I'm already home."


	67. Chapter LXVI

**Author's Note: Here's the second chapter of the evening. Review and give predictions! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXVI**

The last time that Zoe had seen Arendelle, she was five. She barely remembered it, only that the kingdom had been truly beautiful. Standing on the boat deck, Zoe thought that it was just as beautiful as she remembered. And more foreboding than anything she'd ever seen. There, in that kingdom, her family was waiting. Being reunited with Liam and Lucas had been sweeter than she'd ever imagined. And much more frightening. Her brothers weren't the children that she remembered them being. She knew that it was silly to think of them as teenagers and children, but it was how she'd preserved them in her mind.

Jacob's solid presence appeared behind her back. It was strange how someone who had once been a stranger was now more comforting than her brothers. Jacob checked behind him to make sure that Alexander wasn't walking up behind him before leaning down and pressing his lips against the soft, sensitive skin beneath her ear. Zoe leaned back into him, letting his long arms engulf her. "Are you okay?" he asked her softly. Zoe chuckled a little, remembering the first time that he'd ever said the words to her.

She'd been almost nine years old when she'd met him for the first time. It was her last escape attempt, after the soldier had been killed trying to help her. Zoe had gotten it into her head that the best way to escape was on horseback; an attempt that had ended with her sitting in a puddle of mud staring at the sky and wishing that something would eat her alive before she was found. _"Are you okay?"_ he'd asked her all those years ago Ever since then, it was how he started any conversation where he was worried about her.

"Zo?" he asked, pulling her back to the presence. He was so much taller than her, taller than her brother even. He wasn't as broad as Alexander was; his muscles were longer and stringier, but just as strong. His eyes were the color of honey, liquid amber that could melt her from the inside out. "Are you okay?" he repeated when Zoe had turned around to look him in the face. If her brother caught the two as they were, Jacob was sure that he wouldn't be as welcomed as he had been when they'd spoken before.

"Does it make me a bad person if I'm scared of seeing my brothers again?" Zoe whispered, her eyes swimming with tears. "I was gone for ten years, Jacob. What if they don't like me? They don't know me anymore. What if I'm not the person that they wanted to get back?" she begged him. "I've got to be a terrible person. I'm afraid to meet my own brothers again. They-they-"

"Sh, sh," he hushed her, gently pressing Zoe's blood-red hair against her chest and pressing his cheek against the crown of her head. He didn't want to tell her the truth about his family. He wasn't ready to lose her, as he was sure that he would. No amount of love would excuse the fact that he'd lied to her for years. "I don't think there is a force in this world that could make you a bad person, Zoe," he told her firmly, holding her just a little bit tighter. He was going to miss her when she realized what he'd done. "Everything is going to be okay," he promised her, really wishing that he could believe it himself. "Your brothers have spent ten years looking for you. I don't think they necessarily care about who you've become. They just want a chance to get to know you again."

Zoe sniffled as they got closer and closer to the dock. "I'm not leaving you, Zo," he promised her. "If you brothers don't want you around, I'll always keep you, little scamp," he told her, leaning back to tweak her nose. She glared at him for a brief moment before breaking out into a broad grin that always stopped his heart. "I should go and check on things before I kiss you," he said.

"Why not just kiss me?" she asked him innocently

"I need your brother to like me, Zoe. Somehow, I don't think he'd ben happy to come up on the deck and find the two of us kissing on the deck," Jacob said. He leaned down anyways and kissed her forehead. "Kayleigh is sleeping below deck. I'm going to wake your brother and Elsa before we dock so that he can tell what he wants done." Zoe sighed at the loss of moment and turned around to look at the dock that was growing nearer with every moment.

Zoe could make out individual people on the shore, waiting for boat to arrive in port. It was their queen who had run away, after all. And it was her brother who had been left in charge of everything in their absence. The crew began shouting so loudly that Zoe had to fight the urge to clap her hands over her ears. Ropes were tossed around and caught by men on the docks as they pulled the ship completely to shore. A man stood watching them, his arms folded over his broad chest. Zoe looked for any signs of which one of her brothers it was. The man looked enough like Alexander, Liam, and Lucas, but she couldn't figure out which one it was, nor could she remember who it was Alexander had left in charge.

"Alex!" the man boomed, slapping the plank down to connect the dock to boat. He took the plank swiftly and was pounding across the dock when he realized that someone that _wasn't_ crew was standing on the deck. Jonas slowed before coming to a stop, staring at the woman in front of him.

She looked just like his mother had, at least how he remembered her. The female standing in front of him was much younger than the portrait that hung of his mother in the hall, but there was no mistaking the resemblance. "Zoe?" he called softly, his breath sticking in the lump in his throat. Her hair hung in gentle waves that bounced when she moved to nod her head. "Oh my God, Zoe!" Jonas grabbed her upper arms and brought her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her and swallowing back the tears that were threatening to overwhelm him. For a decade, he'd tried to have his brother's backs, to support them in their search for Zoe. But he'd never thought that he would see her again.

Pushing her away after a moment, Jonas looked down at the tears that streamed down his sister's face. Cupping her cheeks in his hands, Jonas used his thumbs to brush away the droplets that clung to her cheeks and lashes. "You probably don't even know who I am," Jonas muttered, barely holding his own emotions in check. "I'm Jonas, Zoe. And I'm sorry to say that I'm the only one here right now. There's been a lot going on," he told her.

Zoe narrowed her eyes as she looked at her brother. She saw the scar in his eyebrow that reminded her of the boy that she'd known a decade ago, when he'd fallen out of a tree. "Jonas," she said, realizing exactly who it was. "I never thought that I would get to see you again," she admitted, pressing her face against his shirt. Jonas stroked a soft hand over her hair and cuddled her closer.

"Where's Alexander?" he asked after a moment.

"Below deck with Elsa. She'd hurt, Jonas." Jonas wanted nothing more than to sit down with her and talk to her about her life, about what had happened that day, to apologize that he hadn't been able to protect her the day they'd been invaded. But Alexander needed to know about the traitors that he'd found and Elsa needed tending to. "I'll have Jacob take me to the shore. Can I just go to the castle?" she asked softly.

"Yes...Who's Jacob?" he demanded, cocking one eyebrow at her. Despite herself, Zoe blushed and looked away from her brother.

"It's a long story," she whispered. "There's Jacob. What did Alex say?"

"That he'll carry Elsa to the castle and any man that tries to take her can die a slow and painful death," Jacob said, his face completely serious. "Are you the infamous Jonas that I'm supposed to be going to get?" Jonas nodded. "Alexander asked that you see to Kayleigh. She's in the other bunk room."

"Take my sister to the castle, please," Jonas said sternly, not liking the way that Zoe was staring at the young man who was standing in front of him. There was something going on between the two of them that stirred protective instincts that he didn't even know that he'd had. He took the stairs below deck to do his brother's bidding, finding the second bunk room. He pounded a fist on the door. "Kayleigh? My name is Jonas. I'm supposed to bring you to the castle." The room was silent. "Kayleigh?" he called again, pounding his fist on the closed door. Worried that something might have happened to the girl he was supposed to be looking after, he pushed the door aside and stepped into the room.

A woman lie in a hammock, her skirts spread out around legs that he couldn't find at first glance. She must have had them tucked up underneath herself to keep herself warm. Her back was to him her hair braided and tucked up against the nape of her neck. "Kayleigh?" he said in a normal voice but she didn't move. Stepping forward, feeling like he was invading her personal space, Jonas gripped the girl's shoulder to shake her awake.

Kayleigh exploded in a flurry of skirts. "No!" she screamed, the sound garbled and off as she spoke. She fought against his light hold, even after he retracted his hand. She struggled in the hammock, trying to right herself and escape. Jonas wanted to help her, but she fought so ferociously, he was afraid to hurt her inadvertently. "No!"

"I'm not going to hurt you," he told her seriously. "I promise."

Kayleigh finally managed to get herself to her feet her hair a frizzy mess around her face. She glared at Jonas like he was scum of the earth. She'd hoped that she would get a fresh start with the King and his brothers. She'd hoped that the rumors wouldn't have followed her, but clearly they had. That was the only reason for a man to be standing in her small bunk. No; not this time. She wasn't going to let it happen to her again. "Kayleigh-"

She spat, landing her spit directly on his cheek.


	68. Chapter LXVII

I hate when she asks me to do these. My fiancée (or M. Michelon, as you know her) got food poisoning tonight. She asked me to put these things up for you guys. So...yeah; give her reviews or whatever. She reads them out loud and everything.

**Chapter LXVII**

Alexander didn't want to leave her side, but he knew that he had to. He'd instructed Anna to stay in the the forest until he came for her. Zoe and Jacob came into the room and found spots to sit and watch over Elsa. Jonas was taking care of the young healer, and until he was certain of who he could trust, he wasn't going to allow anyone in Elsa's room unless he _knew_ he could trust them. He leaned down over Elsa's side and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. "I'll be back soon," he promised both her and his sister.

He wanted to curl her into his arms and keep her at his side. But if it was his sister or one of his brothers that had been hurt, he would want to know what was going on. Last Anna had heard, Elsa had run away and was in danger. Although the danger hadn't passed yet, at least Alexander could bring Anna back to see her sister. "Don't let anyone else come into the room unless you recognize their faces," Alexander said with a smile. Zoe smiled and giggled a little under her breath.

"So, Jonas?" she giggled when Alexander was turning around to walk away. Though he didn't want to admit it, the ride from the castle to the troll's forest was what he needed. He wanted to be in that bed alongside her, but he couldn't ignore the fact that he needed a minute to be away and figure things out. Everything in him wanted to pummel the man who had dared to hurt Elsa, who had dared to hurt _his_ queen. For days he'd been trying to tell himself that killing every man that even looked at Elsa or his sister.

The cool mountain air blew through his hair as he rode up to the area that Kristoff had told him about. Killing people, especially people in Weselton, wasn't going to engender any loyalty towards his brother. Weselton didn't need to be annexed. It didn't need to become a part of the Southern Isles or Arendelle. What it did need was a fair leader who wasn't corrupted by greed and power. He honestly believed that Klaus would give those people the best chance at the life that they needed and wanted. No; killing people wouldn't do anything.

"Anna!" he called out to the empty field of rocks. "Kristoff! We're back and we really need to get going." Sven leapt from the trees and slipped to a stop in front of him. The reindeer's tongue made a quick journey around Alexander's face, even while the man tried to bush the beast away. "Guys, I really need to get going." _I have better things to do…like sit by Elsa's bedside,_ he muttered to himself as he waited for the two to step out of their hiding places. "Really don't have time to be shouting at rocks!" he added.

"Keep your pants on!" a voice shouted. A troll, his face frowning and eyes grumpy, rolled up in front of him. "We just sent one of the little ones to get them from their cave. They'll be here soon enough," he promised. "I hope you know that we had to have a second wedding over here because you forced them to get married early." An act that Alexander wouldn't regret. He protected Anna from everything that could've possibly come out of her. He made sure that no one could force her into a marriage; he made sure that she was as safe and happy as she could be.

"Alexander?" Anna called, keeping her hand wrapped around Kristoff's as she sprinted forward. "Is everything okay? Did you find Elsa?" Find her? Yes. Save her? No. Anna slowed, realizing that something was seriously wrong. "What's wrong? Is Elsa…" She clung a little tighter to Kristoff. "Elsa's not dead." It was a statement, like she was going to make it true. "Tell me, Alexander. You tell me that she's not dead."

"She's not dead," he whispered in response. "But she's very hurt and I don't want to be away from her. That's why I am hoping that we could leave."

The petite redhead moved to the reindeer and swung herself up on his back, waiting for Kristoff to swing up behind her. "We'll follow you," Kristoff said, following Anna and wrapping his arms around his wife's waist and leaning forward to follow Alexander back to the castle. "I'll see to Sven," he said softly, helping Anna off the reindeer's back. "And the horse," he added, taking the reins from Alexander's horse an leading the two towards the stables. "I'll see you guys up in her room."

Anna was only a step behind Alexander as the two of them took the stairs that led up to Elsa's chamber. Anna burst into the room, sparing only a glance down at Zoe and Jacob, who was hunched down, assuring the young girl that nothing was going to happen to Elsa. In the brief time that the two had been together, Elsa had become indescribably important to her. She knew little about the queen, about her likes and dislikes, but what she did know was that Elsa was a fighter, an a sacrificial one oat that. She would never let anyone come to harm when they deserved protection.

"What happened to her?" Anna whispered, staring at her sister. Zoe had shoved some pillows behind Elsa, making sure that they were low enough below her spine that they wouldn't hit her wound. Alexander caught Jacob's eye and jerked his head towards the door. With a whispered word to Zoe, he took her hand and gently pulled her towards the door, even while she was fighting back the tears.

Alexander looked down at Elsa, noticing the bundle of fabric that was pressed against her waist. He needed to get the filthy garment off of her. It wouldn't make her feel any better if she woke up dirty and covered in a layer of grime. "Elsa has two wounds, one in her thigh and one in her back. She was shot trying to help my sister Zoe escape and she got hurt. And then she saved me from an arrow that was intended to kill me," he explained softly. "We brought the healer with us during our travels. She has some stitches and we gave her a draft to help her sleep. She hasn't been awake very much. And the more she sleeps, the less pain that she's in," he promised.

Anna looked away from her sister to stair at him with tear filled eyes. Her lips trembled as she fought the urge to sink to the ground and sob. "You promised me that she would be safe with you," Anna whispered. She looked at her sister's…person. "I told you to protect you. I begged you to keep her safe."

"Anna, I tried. I've done everything that I could to protect her and make it better," Alexander whispered. One tear managed to break down the wall she'd been building. It trickled down her cheek, followed by its brother, its sister; every member of its family.

Anna flew across the room and pounded Alexander's chest with fists. She hit him again and again while Alexander did nothing but stand there, his arms held loosely around her. "You lied to me! You were supposed to keep her safe! You were supposed to protect her." Anna's energy began to drain. She sagged in Alexander's arms and relied on him to hold her up. Alex wrapped his arms tighter around her and brought her into a warm embrace. "She cannot die. I can't lose my sister," she sobbed into his shirt.

"You are _not_ going to lose your sister," Alexander promised her. "I won't let her die, Anna. You and I both know that she is _so_ stubborn and she was determined to get Zoe out. I know that I should've been there earlier. I should've… I don't know. If I had left a little earlier or I had found a better current to carry me down there… I should have protected. I should have been there for her. I'm so sorry," he told her, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss against his heart. It hit him, suddenly, that he had gone from being surrounded by men to being surrounded by women. There was Elsa, Anna, Kayleigh, Zoe, Moira… His world had become overrun by estrogen and he didn't know that he would changed anything.

"Everything will be fine," he vowed. He'd failed before. His mother's last thoughts were that he hadn't cared enough to come back for her. He would never know if he could've made a difference in the raid, if he could've saved his father and saved his sister. He had made so many mistakes and he wasn't going to make them again. No; he was here this time and come hell or high water, ice or lava, he was going to save Elsa and give his sister the life that she deserved. "I'm going to make everything okay," he promised again.


	69. Chapter LXVIII

I was instructed that I must put up two before midnight and they must have a note on the top apologizing for the late updates, her illness, and any typos you may encounter. So... there.

* * *

**Chapter LXVIII**

Kayleigh watched his jaw tick as Jonas reached his fingers up to wipe the saliva from his face. His left hand curled into a tight, white knuckled fist as he flicked it away and looked at the girl who had literally _spat_ in his face. Her chest rose and fell heavily as she stared at him, realizing her mistake. How many times in her life had she been told not to anger the people that were keeping her alive? The man before her could easily tell the king that she'd attacked him. The king could send her away and she would have no where to go.

Jonas was struggling, caught between anger at the woman who had disrespected him and compassion for the fear he saw in her eyes. He was supposed to be taking care of her. He couldn't shout at her for being rude when he was supposed to be making her feel welcome and comfortable. Jonas turned his back to her so that she wouldn't see the anger burning in his eyes. "I don't know what I've done to anger you, miss, but I'm just here to take you back to the castle," he informed her.

Kayleigh prayed that he wouldn't hit her, or at least not her face or chest. She didn't like when her bruises showed. His shoulders were tense, the muscles in his thick arms and broad back stiff. He was of similar build to the king, tall and wide with muscles that burgeoned in his sleeves. His hair was dark brown, almost the color of the cherry wood that the King of Weselton had ordered once, just a dusting of red to it. She watched his back expand with his inhale and deflate slowly before he turned around to look at her again.

Kayleigh's gaze went straight to his lips, watching them stretch thin and open wide to form each syllable. "Can you stand my presence for that long?" he asked her. She realized that he must have asked her soothing while his back was to her. It was something that she was used to, especially when she was introduced to new people. She licked her lips a little and shook her head at him. "Tell me, miss, what have I done to you?" he asked her. Kayleigh shook her head again and pointed to him.

Jonas frowned, confused as to why she wouldn't just tell him what her issue was. She shook her head again and cupped her hands over her ears, continuing the negative motion. His scowl deepened as he looked at her eyes, finding her _pleading _with him to understand. "Are you deaf, lass?" She seemed instantly relieved and dropped her hands and nodded. "Well, I wish someone would have told me _that_," he grumbled. "How is it that you understand me, if you don't mind me asking." She pointed to her mouth, drawing his attention the luscious, bow shaped lips. "You read my lips."

Kayleigh nodded again, feeling overjoyed at being understood so easily. She was quite used to people guessing four or five times before she was finally understood. "I'm not here to hurt you. I came to bring you to the castle. Alexander asked me to see to your safety," he explained, bending down a little so that she could see his mouth more clearly. "Do you have any belongings that you need to gather?" She shook her head and looked around the room to make sure before she turned back to him, realizing that they'd made it to port and the queen was likely being transported.

She lifted her hands to her head, framing her cranium in between the heels of her palms. Jonas frowned and thought about what the symbol could possibly be. "A crown?" he asked her. She nodded again, a smile lighting her lips. "If you're wondering about Alexander, he's moving Elsa to her chamber. If you're wondering about Elsa, I haven't seen her yet." She nodes again and then realized there was one thing she did need to grab. She ran to the small box that Alexander had given her and pulled out a quill and paper.

_I am sorry for spitting at you,_ she scribbled and handed it to him. She looked down at the paper and prayed that she was going to be forgiven. She hadn't wanted the rumors to follow her. She had seen the new country as a chance to reinvent herself, to make sure that no one hurt her again. But the last thing that she wanted was to offend someone. Jonas looked over the little scrap of paper and felt his lips twitch. Worried that he would frighten her, he reached out and gently touched her shoulder.

Kayleigh recoiled and stared up at him, wrapping her arms around her and ensured that he wouldn't be able to reach him. "You have nothing to apologize for. I didn't mean to frighten you. Are you ready to come to the castle?" he asked her, taking his hand back and putting it at his side. Kayleigh watched him, more than a little surprised that he wasn't trying to grab hold of her. With the exception of Jacob, she'd never met a man who hadn't pushed her for more. She'd been grabbed at, molested, raped, forced to do a million things against her will.

Standing at the door, Jonas held the portal open for her and looked back at her. "Are you ready?" he asked again. Unsure how to respond to the space that he was offering her, Kayleigh marched in front of him and up the stairs to deck. She paused when she got to the gangplank and looked back over her shoulder. Jonas had put an entire body length between them, far enough away that she wouldn't be spooked by him. He took a step towards her, making sure that she could still see him. He held out a hand to her and patiently waited for her slip her fingertips into his palm.

Kayleigh searched his face for any sign of malice, any sign that he would hurt her. Jonas kept his face schooled in an easy mask, so as not to scare her. Never in his life had he wanted so desperately to find someone to pummel. Whatever had happened to this woman had scarred her for life. She didn't like men…at all. She had an obvious fear of him. Her eyes were guarded, filled with fear and trepidation. He waited for her to give him her hand, waited for her to realize that she wasn't in any danger.

She slid her fingertips into his palm and stared at him fearfully. Jonas closed his thumb over the back of her hand and gently tugged her closer to him, making sure to keep his distance from her as he walked her down the gangplank. There were people mulling around the village, seeing to whatever it was that Alexander had been barking out when he'd disembarked the ship. Because of the time that it had taken Kayleigh to realize that he wasn't going to hurt her, Alex was likely all the way at the castle already.

Kayleigh watched the men around the village, seeing the kinds of men that had always harassed her. There was a blacksmith with a potbelly who was eyeballing the women that were mulling around the market as well. She saw a man with a woman and child, undoubtedly _his_ wife and child. And yet, this wan was still looking at her. She knew that she stood out, especially with her hair. Her deafness and inability to speak made her an obvious target here. In Weselton, she'd been a target because people knew her, knew that she'd been unwanted.

Everything changed when she crossed the small bridge that led into the castle's keep. Men glanced at her, but quickly looked away. She was surprised at the level of respect the soldiers and workers were showing her. What she didn't know was that every man who looked at her received a deadly glare from Jonas. The girl needed to feel safe, inviolable. She wouldn't feel that way if men kept staring at her.

It wasn't that Jonas didn't understand their stares. The girl was stunning. Her hair was unlike anything that he had ever seen before. Her skin was the color of fresh cream, which only seems to make her red hair stand out brighter. Her nose was petite and her eyes were dark with fear. Her mouth was shaped like a heart, through, pump and full. She was stunning, beautiful. He could understand exactly what the other men were seeing.

What he couldn't understand were the instincts that were scrambling his brain. He thought about every move he made before he made it. Never had he imagined that he would feel a need to protect someone that he'd only just met. It had to be the odd combination of strength and weakness he saw in her. Or, more particularly, the strength that she wanted so desperately to portray and the fear that caused her weakness. Kayleigh turned to face him, frowning over so slightly and biting her lip. "Elsa will likely be up in her chamber. Would you like to go up there to check on her? You are her healer, right?" Kayleigh nodded. "Would you like to go up and see to her?" She gave him another nod. "Very well. I'll take you to your chamber afterward, okay?" Her own chamber? Or would she have to share one with a man? Not again. She wouldn't do it to herself again. So, she nodded at him, hoping that he was as kind as he seemed.

Could she possibly have that luck?


	70. Chapter LXIX

**Author's Note: Hello all of my lovely readers! Thanks for putting up with my insane fiancé last night. He may not always understand, but he always puts up with me and supports me. Anyways, though I know he'll never see this (mostly because he only looks at this site when I need his help), I wanted to take a moment to publicly thank my fiancé for everything that he does for me! Moving on, new chapters. Reviews are always appreciated! Happy reading!**

* * *

**Chapter LXIX**

Alexander saw Anna into the arms of Kristoff before he shut himself into Elsa's room again. Kayleigh had been in to see to Elsa while Alexander had been hunting down the newlyweds. Now, he just had to make Elsa as comfortable as possible and wait for her to wake up again. He sank down onto the mattress, watching it dip and sway with his weight. Elsa tipped a little closer to the center of the bed, but she didn't flop onto her stomach. "I should get you a nightgown, love," he told her, even though she was sleeping peacefully.

For a man who had spent weeks in her rooms, lying alongside her in bed, Alexander couldn't squelch the feeling that he was invading her privacy as he began rummaging through her drawers to find something for her to wear. It was intimate...husbandly. Holding the silk gown in his hand and looking down at Elsa's pale, stiff form, he realized the foolishness in putting the gown on her. Her back and thigh were severely injured. She didn't need anything clinging to her skin and he didn't want anything obscuring Kayleigh from the wounds when the healer came to check on her.

"You're going to kill me when you wake up," he told her seriously. Supporting her head, pillowing her against his bicep, he lifted her shoulders away from the bed and drew the sleeves of her dress down her arm. Laying her back against the feather mattress, he drew the dress down that side as well, leaving her bare from the waist up. She was so beautiful, it was hard for him not to stare. Even more difficult to continue undressing her when he knew that he was only going to see more of her beauty, more of what he had almost lost. He pulled the dress from her and threw the light sheet over her body to preserve her modesty.

Hoping that keeping her clean would give her some comfort, Alexander filled the small bedside basin with the lukewarm water, dipping the soft cloth into the liquid. Removing the sheet from just her back, her gently washed the crusted, dried blood from her skin, lightly running his finger over the line of stitches in her back. There was no way to tell what damage had been done internally. He'd heard about men who'd been hit by arrows in the back and lost complete feeling in their legs, in their arms. There was no way to know what had happened to Elsa, if she would suffer the same affliction.

"It wouldn't matter, love," he whispered to her, though she wouldn't know what he was talking about. "Everything is going to be okay again," he promised her quietly. He pulled the sheet over her back and moved to the wound in her thigh, repeating the process and looking for any signs of infection. He dug at a particularly stubborn bit of blood that was clinging to one of the outer edges of the wound, causing Elsa to whimper.

"Alexander," she begged in her soft voice. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against her cheek, inhaling her sweet scent as he sat there by her bed.

"You're safe now, love," he promised her. "You just have to get better now. Your sister is worried about you. I'm worried about you. Zoe's worried about you. Everyone just wants you to feel better." He continued brushing the cloth over her body to clean her up. "Kayleigh says that you're not allowed to have a bath for a few weeks; she doesn't want the stitches that she's set to get wet." He felt weird saying that Kayleigh had said anything. The girl didn't speak. Alexander quickly learned that she wasn't daft or even the slightest bit brainless. Her writing and detailed explanations about what she'd down and what he needed to look out for with Elsa's condition had proven that she was highly intelligent.

Alexander tucked the blanket back around her, pinning sheet down beneath the pillows so it wouldn't rub against her skin while she was sleeping. He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. It was warm and dry, but he didn't think it was anything to worry. Still, a little fluid in her system wouldn't be remiss. She needed water to survive. What he wanted was for her to take a long drink from a glass, for her to replenish her system, but since that wasn't likely to happen, he took advantage of her semi-conscious state and leaned over her to take her chin in his hand.

He traced the shape of her lower lip with his thumb before pulling it down and putting a clean, freshly dipped cloth to her lips. The liquid dripped into her mouth and pooled into her cheek. "You need to swallow the water, Elsa. You have to drink it down to live," he told her. Her lips moved and she tried to lift a hand to push the cloth away. Her throat bobbed as she allowed whatever water had pooled in her mouth to trickle down her throat. "Good girl," he praised, setting the cloth aside.

"Not a dog," she grumbled. Alexander found himself smiling, despite the fact that she was obviously unhappy. She was coherent enough to hear him and be able to retort. "Sore," she moaned then as she tried to position herself more comfortably in the bed. She began to grumble and whimper as she tried to roll onto her stomach, lacking the strength to move herself.

"Let me help you, love," he said, his hand trembling as he felt her naked flesh against his hands. Taking a deep breath and giving himself a stern mental lecture about letting his lust rule his brain, he gently moved her to lay on her stomach and laid down beside her, watching her sigh as she found comfort lying on her belly. "Are you feeling a little better?" he asked her softly, but Elsa had already drifted back to sleep.

Alexander woke again when the moon was high in the sky, shining down over Elsa and her silken hair. She was trembling, grasping for furs to cover her and murmuring under her breath. He pushed himself onto his elbow and reached for her hand, but she scooted away from him as much as possible. "Elsa?" he called softly. Her body was shaking, as if she'd been put into an ice bath while he'd been resting. He felt her forehead again, feeling like he'd placed his palm against an open flame.

He shouldn't have been surprised. Fevers were normal after the kinds of the wounds that Elsa had sustained. They were also deadly. Alexander had seen countless warriors become insensible, lose their minds, after a fevers. Healers had said it was because the fevers burned the brain, turned them to mush. "That won't happen to you, love," he assured her. He reached across her and dipped the same cloth he'd been using earlier into water than had grown cold. He laid it across her forehead, half expecting her skin to emit a sizzle when it came in contact with the water in the cloth.

Dressed in nothing more than linen sleeping pants, Alexander pounded across her room and looked out the door for a guard. "Jonas!" he shouted, catching the man standing outside Kayleigh's appointed chamber. "Go and wake Kayleigh. Elsa has need of her. She's caught a fever."

"The ice queen caught a fever? Irony abounds," Jonas muttered, not exactly looking forward to waking the young girl again. He could only hope that she would recognize him this time.

"Hardly the time for jokes, Jonas. Go and fetch the healer while I try to cool her down," Alexander snapped. Another day, he would've been worried about Jonas' sarcasm. The boy was usually quite and always straight forward. When he spoke, it was exactly what he was he thinking. There were no double meanings or veiled inferences to things. He just spoke what he meant. Jokes weren't his usual method of communication. If Elsa hadn't been sick, he would've given the brief encounter more thought. But Elsa needed to be his main concern. No one else was as close to dying as she was.

This time, the beauty of her body didn't distract him. He was too focused on making sure that she wasn't going to leave him, that she suffered no bad effects from the wounds she'd sustained trying to protect him and his family. He couldn't let her pay this price; not when it was his doing. If he had found a way to get Zoe out earlier...if he had found a way to get to the both of them before the letter...if he hadn't been bathing when she'd received that note... He could've changed all of this.

Kayleigh burst into the room, her hair a disheveled mass about her face, her eyes ablaze with determination. She shooed Alexander away from the edge of the bed and knelt beside the mattress. She waved at Alexander, both hands pushing down against an invisible object. "She wants you to hold Elsa down," Jonas whispered from behind them. Alexander scrambled onto the bed and pushed the queen down against the mattress. Kayleigh looked around the room, not finding whatever it was that she was looking for. "Kayleigh?" Jonas called.

The girl shoved to her feet and stormed towards him. To Alexander's surprise, Jonas actually stumbled back in shock, but it didn't stop her. She strode straight to him and reached for the small dagger at his hip. Jonas gently stopped her when she unsheathed it and turned away to Elsa's side. "What are you doing?" Jonas asked her, hunched down so that she could see him. She waved him forward and pointed to Elsa thigh, made a sawing motion with his dagger, and then looked up at him. "Why?" Jonas asked her then. Kayleigh threw her hands up in exasperation while Alexander wondered what it was the two were talking about.

Making sure that Elsa's body was mostly covered, Kayleigh lifted the sheet to show the wound on the queen's leg. The skin on the outside had turned nearly purple with something that was much deeper than a bruise. Gently, Kayleigh pushed down to show him a yellowish liquid that oozed from her leg. "An infection," Jonas realized.


	71. Chapter LXX

**Author's Note: Answer time! Okay, so I've gotten lots of questions from you guys that I haven't addressed in a few days because I've been exhausted and then I got sick. So, we're going to have an extra long author's note today that will answer everything.**

**1) Yes, we're getting back to Ollie and Emily. They're story isn't over yet.**

**2) I have not yet contemplated changing the name of Weselton, but I will definitely take it into consideration.**

**3) Kayleigh's name is pronounced kay-lee (phonetic spelling). I liked the Gaelic spelling of it.**

**4) Y'all will have to wait and find out about Jonas & Kayleigh!**

**5) Story Extension Questions: I haven't decided how far that this is going to go. Originally, I liked the idea of Elsa and Alexander (they're not going anywhere; don't worry). But as I started developing characters, I decided that certain brothers needed people (cough, cough, Jonas & Ollie, Hans' triplets). So, because of that the story has extended beyond what I thought it was going to be. I don't have a definitive time set yet, but I can promise that I will keep updating until it's finished. I hate when author's abandon their stories and never come back. ****_And_**** I like all my ducks in a row and all my lose strings trimmed. So, there will be an ending and an epilogue when I've got it all figured out!**

**6) (Not related to this story) ****_Chivalry is Dead_**** and ****_Lies_**** have magically disappeared. I have an email in to administrators to find out what's going on. As soon as I know more, I will let you guys know. Until I get to the bottom of that, I will RESUME TRIPLE UPDATES.**

**Okay... so that should cover all the business of the day. Enjoy this next chapter and feel free to review with questions and predictions. I ****_love _****them! Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Chapter LXX**

Oliver cradled his sobbing serving maid to his chest, letting her bury her face in his neck. He wanted Hans gone, but when his brother screamed in agony and rolled on the ground like he'd been murdered, Oliver a moment of release. Hans needed to be dealt with, needed to be gone, but Ollie was happy he hadn't killed one of his brothers. He wasn't sure that he could ever do it.

Christian sprinted down the back staircase to the ground, kneeling beside Hans. "You shot me!" The villainous prince screeched, "I'm going to die because you shot me!"

"Quit your whining," Christian grumbled. "He managed to hit the target without killing the girl. No one said he managed to do real damage. It's only a flesh wound, you big baby his brother up by the scruff of his tunic and captured his hands behind his back, twining a thick rope around them. "You should get her something bracing to drink, to help settle her nerves," he suggested to his little brother. Oliver nodded and stroked a hand over her golden hair, hushing her as he did so.

There was a part of his brain that felt she might be overreacting a little to the situation. After all, no one had died. But this was the part of his brain that he chose to keep to himself. Emily was just starting to let herself care about him. Something told him that if he mentioned her silliness and the fact that she was overreacting, she might not take it the best way. "You're okay, Em. Hans isn't going to bother you anymore. You're dad's not in any danger or anything. I'm not hurt. Everything is okay now," he promised her. The words didn't seem to penetrate her consciousness, though.

Deciding that she just needed to be away from e entire scene, Oliver leaned down and plucked the girl from the ground. Emily gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck to steady herself, pulling her face away from his neck and resting her temple against his shoulder while he carried her through the castle, up a staircase, across a hall, and into a chamber that she didn't immediately recognize. He carried her as if she weighed nothing and settled into a chair by a slow burning fire, keeping her wrapped in her arms.

Oliver hadn't even thought about where to being her. His only desire had been to get her somewhere quiet, where he could soothe her worries and calm her nerves. It wasn't until he was perched in his favorite reading chair with Emily in is lap the fire crackling in front of them to ward off the spring chill. He stared into the flames and waited for her trembling breaths to stop, waiting for her to calm down enough to talk to him. He waited until he breaths stopped hiccuping in her throat, waited then for her breathing to even out, and then looked down at her.

He almost thought that she'd fallen asleep, but her eyes were wide open, looking around his room with some curiosity. "I haven't been in here before," she whispered, her breath barely loud enough to hear over the fire spitting and sizzling. "Why have you kept me out of your room for so long?" she asked, sounding a little insulted that she'd never been allowed into the room. "I clean the rest of the chambers with the other women, but I've never been allowed to clean this room."

"Because I knew once I had you in here, I was never going to let you leave," he replied just as softly. "It would've been torture, Emily, to know that you were in my chapter every single day, but didn't come back every night. I would't have been able to wait as long as I have if I'd had you in this room every morning," he explained, gently running his fingertips rubbing along her arm.

"Why don't you hate me?" she asked him, her eyes now fixed on the dark, forest green quilt that was spread over his bed.

"How could anyone ever hate you, Emily?" he retorted with a little laugh.

"I ignored you, or at least, the feelings that you've always shown me. I was a stupid girl. I was looking for love, for someone who would see me as a person instead of a serving girl. The entire time that I was searching the entire kingdom for a love to call my own, I should've been looking at the man right in front of my face," she breathed. "You should hate me, Ollie. I looked right by you every single time that you were offering me your heart."

He brushed her hair from her face and looked at the freckles that dotted the bridge of her nose and swells of her cheeks. "I didn't care how many times you ignored me. I didn't care where else you looked. You may not have realized it, Emily, but you always came back to me." She frowned, having never considered the statement before. "Don't look at me like that," he admonished laughingly. "It's true, sunshine. When your father was hit by that cart in the village, who did you come to?" Well... him, of course. She needed help getting her father to his room. Who else was she supposed to go? "When you are having a bad day, who do you come to?" He was good about letting her cry and giving her comfort when she needed it. He was a solid presence, a rock when the storm was raging wildly. "Who protected you from all of the boys when you were a kid? Who do you run to when you're not sure what to do?" He tightened his hold around her and lifted her a little so she was sitting upright in his lap. "You come to me, Emily. You've always come to me, no matter who you were involved with. Because you have always loved me, Em. Even if you didn't realize it, sunshine."

She thought over the statements that he'd laid out before her, the questions that he'd demanded of her without answer. He had a point on ever question. No matter which one of the men in town that she was with, she came back to Oliver when she needed help or a shoulder to cry on. "Why do you call me sunshine?" she asked him, realizing that it was the second time that he'd done so. Ollie smiled at her and picked up a golden lock of hair between his fingers.

"Because you're happy and bubbly," he whispered, giving the strands in his fingers a sharp but soft tug. "Because no matter what's going on, you always make me smile. Because I know without a doubt that you will always find a reason to laugh during the day," he replied. "And because your hair has always been the same color as the sun," he added.

"My hair is _not_ yellow," she protested.

"I never said that your hair was yellow," Ollie retorted. "I said it was the color of the sun. It's golden and beautiful, like the wheat fields." Emily's eyes filled with tears again. She had thought that he was dead for days. When he came back, she had been so shocked, she hadn't known what to do with herself. It had only taken a moment for her to realize how afraid she'd truly been that she wouldn't see him again. "Oh, please no more tears, Em. I'm begging you; I can't stand watching that sad look on your face. Please don't do it, sunshine." She decided she liked the nickname, liked knowing that it was something he associated with only her. He picked her up again and plopped her down on his bed, listening to her laughter rain over him. "I have to go and make sure Christian has everything in hand. Then I need to talk to Klaus and the rest of the boys to decide what we're going to do with Hans," he said, placing his hand on either side of her and leaning down to nuzzle his nose against hers. "You're exhausted, sunshine. You've had a long day and you're a little..." _crazy_, his mind filled in for him. He didn't remember his father ever calling his mother crazy, though. "You're overwrought, Em. Lay here and get some sleep. I'll come back for you once everything is settled," he promised, kissing her mouth lightly.

He stood and started to walk away, leaving Emily in a haze of desire and tenderness. "Wait a second," she said, shaking her head and pushing herself up onto her elbows. "Ollie, I can't be in your room. It's not proper." Ollie turned back to smile at her and shake his head, pointing at his bed. "I'm serious, Oliver. It's not proper."

"Yes, it is," he promised her.

"I'm a single maid, Ollie. Do you know what people think? I can't be in here," she insisted.

"Yes, you can."

"Really?"

"Yes, because come evening, you and I will be married and you will _never_ sleep anywhere but by my side again," he retorted.


	72. Chapter LXXI

**Author's Note: In case I didn't make myself clear before, I will be resuming triple updates to this story. There will be days that I can only get one or two up, depending on work, finals, and travel. But I promise to give you guys at least a day's notice beforehand. This chapter is really long, mostly because I couldn't find a better place to sever the chapter. Okay? Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXI**

Jonas held his hand out to Kayleigh, waiting for her to give him the dagger. They needed to cut back open the healing flesh. It wasn't something he wanted the young girl should have to do, though he couldn't explain why he felt the need to protect her from it. Kayleigh looked at his hand and frowned at him, her confusion evident. "Give me the dagger; I'll reopen the wound," he mouthed, not wanting Alexander to hear what was going to have to be done. Kayleigh balked like he had burned her. She jabbed a rounded fingernail into his chest and shook her head, and then pointed to herself, tapping her temple. "I'm sure you know what you're doing, but—" She glared at him and tightened her grip on his dagger.

"What are you two arguing about?" Alexander asked, completely confused about what was going on between the two of them. Kayleigh hadn't spoken a word, but Jonas was bickering with her as if she had spit in his face. "Can't you just help her and fight about things later?" he demanded, cuddling Elsa closer to his chest and holding her as still as he could.

Kayleigh couldn't believe his impertinence. The only way she was allowed food was if she learned about the healing arts, mostly because the King of Weselton had beheaded the healer when the older woman had defied him. She had done this kind of procedure countless times. She didn't need someone to tell her how to do her job. She'd hated the things that Weselton had done to her and forced her to do, but she would never regret learning to heal. She loved it. It was the only chance that she had to help people.

Using the tip of the knife, she plucked the stitches and used her fingernails to pull the threads apart. She frowned when she saw that the skin had already began to heal itself. Biting her lip, she cast a glance up at Jonas and spread Elsa's skin so he could see, softly shaking her head. "Alexander, you need to hold her still," Jonas warned. "Kayleigh has to reopen the wound and it's already started to heal. It's going to hurt her." Wishing that there was another way around it, Alexander kissed Elsa's lips lightly and nodded to Kayleigh, giving the girl permission to being the torture.

The second Elsa felt the blade against her skin, she stiffened. Kayleigh was relentless, though. She pushed until she was that healing line of skin had come puss on the inside smelled rancid and looked even worse. Her lip twitched a little as she began scraping as much of the infection out as she could. Elsa screamed as she felt the blade scraping her skin and muscle tissue. Alexander begged her to lie still, holding her tight and praying that this would all be over. Elsa's eyes popped open as Kayleigh hit one particularly tender spot. "Why are you letting her do this to me?" she asked in a soft voice.

Alexander never thought that he would envy Kayleigh's condition, but he wished that he'd_ never_ heard Elsa condemn him for trying to help her. "I'm sorry that you had to come and get us. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. Please forgive me," she begged him again and again. He smoothed her hair away away from her face, though it wasn't clinging to anything. Her body was too starved for water to be able to produce any sweat. "Why do you hate me?" she asked him.

"Oh, love, I don't hate you," he promised her. "I have to protect you. This time, it just turns our that I'm protecting you from something that I can't fight." That was worse than anything else. He couldn't fight off this enemy and this one was more deadly than any other he'd encountered. This one would kill her if given the chance. "Is she almost done?" he demanded. Elsa's screams were about to drive him daft. He wasn't sure he could stand it again. "Jonas? Tell me she's almost done." Tears slipped down her cheeks endlessly.

Hours passed before Elsa's hand searched for something, but Alexander didn't know what. He took hold of her hand, shocked with the strength behind her grip. She dug her nails into the back of his hand, begging him to make it stop and save her. Her nails nearly drew blood, but he didn't care. He would endure any amount of pain if it would help her bear her own. Kayleigh frowned as she dug a little deeper into the wound, taking caution of the veins and arteries that would kill Elsa if Kayleigh nicked them. She looked back to Jonas and nodded, jerking her head towards herself and the wound.

She couldn't comprehend how the man seemed to understand her without even trying. He took hold of the danger and held it in the exact same spot as Kayleigh'd had it. She stood and strode to the nightstand and grabbed the small metal pitcher. "Where is she going?" Alexander demanded of Jonas, who only shrugged. He hadn't asked her, but whatever she was doing was obviously necessary. She was far more skilled in healing than he'd realized. He actually felt guilty for almost insisting that she give him the knife. Having watched her, he knew that he would never have been able to cut Elsa's leg open.

Kayleigh returned and leveled her gaze with his. "What is it?" he asked her, seeing the obvious desire to say something in her eyes. Kayleigh's eyes darted to the pitcher that she'd placed on the coals. "When the water is steaming or boiled?" he asked her. She put up just one single finger, giving Jonas the answer. He nodded and carefully transitioned the dagger back to her hold. She frowned as she saw something dark and covered in blood in the depths of the queen's thigh.

Alexander watched his brother and the healer maneuver around the room as he held Elsa tight. She had fallen limp in his arms, unconscious from the pain that was undoubtedly searing her body. He kept his lips pressed right against her forehead, keeping his eyes closed so he wouldn't see Elsa's life's blood spilling on the floor and mattress. "You have to live for me, Elsa," he whispered against her skin, not caring if Jonas heard him or not. He loved this woman; he was not going to lose her. "You cannot leave me, my love. Now that I have you in my life, I can't live without you. You have to help me with Zoe and with my brothers. You have to stay with me for the rest of our days. I love you." He repeated the final sentence over and over, willing her to hear him and find the courage and strength to take another breath.

Kayleigh rose from the ground after Jonas had poured the near boiling water into a porcelain basin. She added a small amount of hot water, enough to keep her for burning her hands, and submerged herself into the water up to her wrists, using the soap to scrub away at her skin and make sure she wouldn't give Elsa yet another infection. Jonas watched her, surprised by the quiet grace that encompassed her as she moved. When she'd finished, she held her hands in front of her as if she was afraid to touch anything. Jonas made a move to hand her back the knife, but she shook her head and sank down to her knees, so close, he could feel the heat of her. Although, that could've been Elsa's fever radiating off of her body as well.

Kayleigh licked her lips and prepared herself for what she needed to do. Cautiously, insistently so he wouldn't back down, she moved herself in front of the young prince until her back was flush to his chest and his arms surrounded her. Jonas was holding Elsa's skin apart, making sure that it was wide enough for Kayleigh to do whatever she needed to do. The redheaded healer felt the squish of flesh and blood beneath her fingertips as she searched for the source of the infection.

Elsa came alive the moment Kayleigh's fingers found the lingering piece of arrow shaft that had been allowed to fester in the queen's flesh. Alexander held her tighter to keep her steady while she screamed. He couldn't remember the last time that he'd cried, but he found tears trickling down his face as he fought for control of his emotions. Kayleigh withdrew her now bloodied hands triumphantly, a small smile lighting her face. If Jonas hadn't been distracted by the sweet smell of her drifting up into his nostrils, he was wen he saw her eyes light up with a pleasure that he hadn't seen before. She placed some sliver on the ground beside her knee and reached for the needle and thread she'd brought with her.

Stitching Elsa was much simple this time, especially since the new bleeding was only minimal. When she finished, still pressed tightly against Jonas' chest, she smiled up at the king and nodded. "We're finished," Jonas told his brother. Kayleigh, hands still covered in blood, picked up the sliver of arrow shaft. She held it up for Alexander to see and pointed to Elsa's thigh. "That was what was causing the infection, Alex. She found it in Elsa's wound."

Alexander settled Elsa on the bed and glared at the small healer, his fear, worry, and love manifesting themselves as anger. Kayleigh had only just come to her feet when Alexander started growling and stalking towards her. "You are the healer, aren't you? You were the one who was supposed to save her. How did that sliver stay in there, huh? Or are you just trying to hurt her?" he demanded. Kayleigh shook her head, her eyes wide and fearful. "Then how did that stay in there? You nearly killed her with your careless! Elsa has had enough—"

"Enough!" Jonas bellowed loud enough that even Elsa groaned a little. "She hasn't done anything wrong, Alexander, and you know that. Kayleigh has done everything she can for Elsa, hasn't she?" Alexander glared at his brother. "She just spent four hours digging through Elsa's thigh; why would she do that if she wanted Elsa to get an infection?" He couldn't tell you what prompted him to defend a woman that he barely knew, but Alexander could hardly say anything to him; he'd done the same for Elsa only hours after they'd met. Gently, Jonas slowly wrapped his arm around Kayleigh's waist and put her behind him. "Do not take your anger out on the girl because you are scared for Elsa. Kayleigh is only here to help. You promised her protection and Zoe trusts here. Let me worry about Kayleigh; you worry about Elsa."

Realizing that he had gone off on the wrong woman, Alexander nodded slowly. Kayleigh stood behind Jonas, wondering what she'd put herself in the middle of. She'd only wanted to help the queen. She hadn't meant to overlook the sliver. It was embedded so deeply, she hadn't seen it until she'd started digging.

A hand gripped Jonas' shoulders. Jonas took a step back to allow Alexander access to the young girl. The king walked up to the healer, shocked when she took a hasty step back and curling herself into Jonas' side, her eyes wide. "I'm sorry for the way that I acted," Alexander said, feeling guilt over the girl's fear. "I would never hurt you, Kayleigh. I want you to feel safe here, with us," although from the sight of things, she felt safe with Jonas. "I am worried for Elsa."

Kayleigh nodded, but kept herself closer to Jonas. Despite it being a day, he was familiar and seemed safe. She pointed to the unconscious queen and then gave a small thumbs up. "Thank you," Alexander said. "Can you make something to help her sleep?" he added. She nodded and rushed out of the hall, hoping to escape the testosterone. Alexander watched her disappeared and then looked at his brother. Elsa was out cold, the pain having pulled her into the darkness. "Can I trust you to watch after the healer?" he asked his brother.

"Sure," Jonas said as if it didn't matter one way or another. "I'll take care of her."

Alexander watched Jonas disappear down the hallway, after the healer. He lowered himself back to Elsa's side, careful not to cause her any motion while she was in her peaceful bliss. "I need your help, Elsa," he told her quietly, trying not to disturb the peace. "I don't know how to deal with all this around me. My baby sister is in love. Ollie has Emily. I have you. Anna has Kristoff. And Jonas… Jonas is in the middle of something."


	73. Chapter LXXII

**Author's Note: Hard to believe it's already so late in the day. I'm sorry y'all didn't get chapters earlier. I chose to have a lazy day (in preparation for the hectic week ahead of me) and only just sat down at my computer! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXII**

Zoe whimpered and flopped around on her bed, fighting against all the things that plagued her mind. She kicked and tossed and fought, trying to escape everyone around her in her dreams. Jacob crossed the small confines of her chamber and shook her shoulder to wake her up. Her honey eyes popped open and stared up at him. Her hair glinted in the early morning sunlight, her eyes wide and her chest rising and falling with her fears. "What are you doing in here?" she asked him, realizing that Jacob was sitting in her room.

"I was standing guard outside," he replied easily, brushing her hair from her face and running his fingertip along her cheekbone. He couldn't keep lying to her, happy as they were. Zoe would never be able to truly love him if she didn't know him. "We have to talk about something, Zoe," he whispered to her, sending a silent prayer to the heavens that she would forgive him. He'd always planned to tell her when they were both safe. He just hadn't expected that it would be so soon. He'd though he'd had at least two more years to be with her.

Zoe noticed the worried look on his face and frowned a little. Jacob rarely let his emotions overrule his head. Whatever it was that he wanted to talk to her about was obviously important… Maybe he was considering leaving her in Arendelle. He promised her that he loved her, but maybe he didn't. Maybe he'd changed his mind. "Let's take a morning walk," Jacob suggested, taking a deep breath and standing form her bed. "I'll wait for you to get dressed," he added when Zoe nodded to him. He started walking away but stopped at the doorway. "Just…keep an open mind, Zo," he pleaded.

Zoe stared after him, wondering what it was that he had done. She pulled her hair away from her face, braiding it while she thought about Jacob's strange words and actions. She tied off the hair and pulled a clean dress onto her body. When she was finally dressed, she walked outside to the hallway, where Jacob was frowning and staring at the wall. "Are you ready?" she asked him, holding out her hand to him. She was more than a little surprised when he didn't take it in his.

Jacob led her down the hallway and out to the courtyard, keeping his arms folded across his chest. He knew that it was probably confusing her, why he wouldn't touch her, but it was more for him than for her. When Zoe decided that she didn't want him around, he didn't want to be touching her. He couldn't hold on to her when she wanted to walk away from him. But he couldn't walk away from her. He need to be close enough to feel her beside him. "Will you please tell me, Jacob?" she asked him, frowning at the space he kept between them.

The morning air was crisp and cool, the sun shimmering over the new buds of spring. Jacob watched the breeze rustle through the grass. "Do you remember when you were eight? And that soldier tried to bring you back to the Southern Isles?" She nodded; of course she remembered that ay. It was one of the few times that she had felt hope living in Weselton. Besides, she'd met Jacob later that week. "Have you ever seen that soldier again?" he asked her.

"Of course not," Zoe retorted. "You and I both know what the King probably did. If he wasn't killed, then he was exiled."

"He was killed, Zo," Jacob replied. He felt the chills creeping up his arms as he took in her confused expression. "I… I saw him getting whipped and tortured. He made me promise that I would take care of you, which is why I came to find you later that week."

"But you didn't…You weren't there then, were you?" she asked him, frowning. If he'd been there earlier, then he would've found her. Jacob looked away from her, warning her that something was beyond wrong. "Jacob, how long were you in Weselton before you found me?"

"Twelve years," he whispered. "The soldier who tried to take you back to the Southern Isles was my father."

"But you're from the Southern Isles," she said, her eyes wide. Jacob just shook his head at her, but it wasn't good enough for Zoe. She marched in front of him and crossed her arms over her chest. "You told me that you were from the Southern Isles. You said that they had been another raid and you'd gotten yourself caught. You said your parents were dead."

"My parents were dead. Everything that I told you about the two of them was true. My mother did die giving birth to my younger brother. My dad did die in defense of a princess; it just so happens that you were the princess that he was defending," he explained. "The day that we met, you told me that everyone in Weselton was evil and you would never make the mistake of trusting one of them again. So I lied." Jacob felt the tremor of his voice, the hitch in his throat. "I made a promise that I would protect you and I was determined to do that. You weren't going to let me if you thought that I would eventually hurt you."

"So, for eight years, you've kept the truth from me," she deduced. "How am I supposed to trust you, Jacob? Everything that you've ever told me has been a lie."

"Only where I was from. The rest of the stories, everything that we've shared, it's all been real. I thought about telling you things when you saw me save Kayleigh that one day. You trusted her and she was from Weselton, but you'd met her before you'd met me. I didn't think that you would ever trust me again."

"You never even wanted to be around me," she said, turning her back to him. "You only befriended me because your father asked you to. Let me ask you this, if he hadn't demanded that you protect me, what would've happened?"

"I've thought about that," he answered calmly. If he could explain things to her, maybe he could keep her at his side; maybe he could convince her that she should stay with him. "The best that I can figure is that we would've met. I would've become a soldier in the king's force. Eventually, I would've been one of the men assigned to watching you and I would've fallen in love with you. My father's promise just made me find you sooner rather than later."

"But you don't know that. There's a chance that we wouldn't meet. We could've been separated forever," he whispered.

"I don't believe that."

"Well, I don't believe you!" she snapped at him. "How can I? You let me believe that you were from the Southern Isles an that you cared about me for nearly a decade!"

"I do care about you, Zoe. I don't expect you to believe me and I don't expect you to forgive me. But I am sorry for lying to and I do love you more than life itself. Why do you think I convinced your brother to let me come here with you? Why do you think I've been standing outside your door all night? I wanted to make sure that you were safe. I love you, Zo. Even if you hate me, even if you want me gone from your sight, it won't change the fact that I'm here for you."

He stepped up to take her into his arms, to prove that he loved her with a kiss that would melt her from the inside out. "No," Zoe breathed. "No; I can't trust you anymore. I thought that you were someone else. I was in love with someone else. Not you." It would've been less painful if someone had thrust a dagger into his heart. "I don't trust you."

"I understand," he whispered. He trust did understand, much as he wished she'd made a different choice. "Let me see you back to your room," he insisted.

"I don't need you."

"I know," he muttered. "I just want you to be safe; to be happy."

"You should've thought about that before you lied to me," Zoe growled. "I don't want to see you again." She walked by him and marched straight towards the castle. Jacob waited until she was far enough in front of him, she wouldn't scream at him. He felt like Zoe had grabbed hold of his heart and yanked it straight from his chest. It probably would've been easier if she had. He stumbled along behind her, feeling almost betrayed. He had wanted her to understand, to see his side of the story, to understand why he'd lied to her.

And instead, he'd lost her.


	74. Chapter LXXIII

**Author's Note: Don't worry, we're heading back to Ollie and Emily in a few chapters. I just need to get through all of this with Elsa & Alexander. You guys all make me laugh so much. We started this story with just Elsa & Alexander and now I have requests for more about characters that didn't even exist until some ten chapters ago! I love y'all! Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXIII**

For the next week, everything in the kingdom was...peaceful. Zoe ignored Jacob, refusing to even look his way. Anna rarely left Elsa's bedroom and side. Alexander was fairly certain he would never forget the tongue lashing he got from her when she'd found out about Elsa's midnight operation. Jonas continued chasing after Kayleigh like a lost puppy, making sure that no one threatened her or even looked at her in the wrong way. And Alexander? Well, he stayed by Elsa's side and refused to leave her side for longer than the time that it took him to bathe.

After the operation Kayleigh had performed, she'd insisted that they keep Elsa as asleep as often as they could. Her fever lingered for a few days before it became a raging inferno. She became insensible, so much so, the potions couldn't even keep her asleep. Her brow showed no signs of moisture. Her skin was so hot, Alexander worried that she was going to lose her mind. Both he and Anna stayed by her side and dribbled as much water as they could into the young queen's mouth, trying desperately to keep her alive.

While Elsa continued to worry him, the days confined to her chamber alongside Anna did the both of them wonders. It was a unique chance for the two of them to connect, to get to know one another. Alexander realized that Anna was loud and boisterous and clumsy, but she wasn't selfish. She was a girl who was just as afraid as her sister. Elsa feared herself; Anna feared losing her sister. Anna, in turn, realized that he wasn't as much of a boar as she'd though. He bossed people around and commanded those who weren't his to command, but only because he was worried about her sister and his sister and her.

Alexander found that he was only able to sleep when he was sure that Anna, Kayleigh, or Zoe had Elsa in their care. By the ninth day of her illness, Alexander could barely hold his head up without help. Jonas had collected all those he suspected of betraying the queen and placed them in cells, but Alexander hadn't even gone to look at the men. He was too focused on Elsa, on making her live. It wouldn't matter who had betrayed her if the queen died.

"You smell," Anna informed him the tenth morning. He was sure that it was a true statement. He couldn't remember when he'd last gone to the lake to swim and wash himself off. "Maybe you should go for a swim?" Anna suggested. In the days that she'd been forced to share space with the man, she'd come to love him. He was older brother that she'd never thought that she wanted. She was getting worried about him. In the ten days since he had arrived back in Arendelle, she hadn't seem him eat anything. He rarely left the room. He rarely slept. He was pushing himself too far.

Alexander shook his head at Anna's suggestion that he leave Elsa's side. He'd learned that the potion last three days after Kayleigh administered it. Elsa had received the last draft three days prior, which meant that she should be waking up any moment. Besides that, her fever was too high for him to risk leaving her side. No; his comfort could wait. Elsa couldn't.

Anna sighed heavily. "I figured you'd say that. Boys!" she shouted over her shoulder. Alexander followed her gaze, surprised to see Nick, Noah, Jonas, Sebastian, and Kristoff saunter through the doors. "I sent for a few of your brothers after I got home. I wanted to make sure that we had men here that we could trust and I know that we can trust your brothers." Nick and Noah knelt down at his side and gripped his shoulder, pulling insistently to get him away from Elsa.

"Wait, what? What are you doing?" he demanded of them, struggling back to the bed. "I'm not leaving her. She needs me here." They came back to him, gripping his shoulders again. "Stop; I'm not leaving." They dragged him like a two-year-old that didn't want to go and take his bath before he went to bed. Alexander was practically kicking and screaming. In fact, it took all five of the men just to get him out the door. "Elsa!" he shouted as they pulled him into the hallway. "What the hell is wrong with you all? She needs me. I need to be here when she wakes up."

Making sure that the other men had a solid hold on his brother, Nick stepped in front of Alexander and threw a solid fist into his gut. Alexander gasped and doubled over, supported by Kristoff and Noah's grips. "Did _that_ clear your head?" Nick demanded. "Elsa isn't going to die if you're not by her side. I'm sure that you feel that way, Alex, but it's not true. You cannot take care of her when you cannot take care of yourself. You haven't slept in days. God only knows how long it's been since you've eaten. You smell _terrible_ and you look worse than Elsa." It was an exaggeration, but the pain had cleared the emotions from his head and given him a brief moment of clarity. "Take him to the lake," Nick instructed.

They quite literally threw him into the water, despite his not wanting to leave. He sank down to the bottom of the lake and looked up at the blurry sky above. He was strong enough to swim, even wearing all his clothing as he was. For a moment, though, he was seriously considering letting himself run out of oxygen. Elsa's condition was so bleak, he knew that she wouldn't pull through. How could she? She'd lost so much blood on the way to Arendelle and then she'd had the infection. Dying would be the only way for him to be with her.

Survival instincts kicked in and he pushed himself towards the surface. he inhaled sweetly when he made it to the top and looked at his brothers. Kristoff was standing guard, making sure no one came to attack them. "I'm glad to see that you decided you should live," Noah said, dipping the tips of his toes into the water. Alex swam to the shore and divested himself of his clothing. "Lord, that's cold!" Noah muttered as he realized just how icy the frigid water was.

"Did Anna really write to you?" he asked them, wondering if the young princess was simply trying to protect his brothers. It would be just like her, after all.

"She checked with me first," Jonas said, wading into the water. "She didn't want to step on your toes or anything, but was worried about the men in the dungeon getting more followers. You haven't dealt with them, just yet," Jonas pointed out.

"Look, Alex, I know that you're worried about Elsa and you're concerned about her living. I understand, but you can't expect her to heal when she's sleeping alongside a man who smells like a horse's arse," Nick muttered. "No wonder you have such a successful ice business, Kristoff! This water is freezing."

"The water!" Alexander realized. "Elsa's fever. Kristoff, order some men to bring buckets of his water up to Elsa's room. Did you guys bring any toweling or anything useful?" he asked, hauling himself out of the water.

"Better; I brought you a change of clothes," Kristoff said, shoving the fabric into his chest. "I'll head back to the castle. And then, if you don't mind, I think I'd like to kidnap my wife. She's gone a few days without rest."

"Maybe you'll have better luck getting her out of that room than I have," Alexander muttered. He'd tried to convince her many times to go and eat something real, but she had no interest in anything that wasn't smothered in chocolate. Swiftly, Alexander dressed and sprinted the short distance that he'd been dragged. He bust into Elsa's room, shocking a crying Elsa who was wiping her tears from her cheeks. Elsa's chest still rose and fell, calming his nerves over her place among the living.

"I thought you were going for your bath," Anna muttered, her voice thick with tears.

"I am. And you are going to enjoy your husband's company for a few hours," he retorted. "We need to cool Elsa down and I think I know how we're going to do that." Anna perked instantly. "Go and find me Kayleigh, if you could. I need to ask her about getting Elsa's sutures wet."

"I asked her yesterday because I thought that Elsa would want to have a bath when she woke this time," Anna replied. "And I'm not letting you bathe my sister, Alexander. What would people say?" she asked him.

He kissed her forehead in a brotherly manner and smiled. "You worry too much about what other people think, Anna. Go and have a bath with your husband. I'm going to cool Elsa off."

"But-" Kristoff rushed forward and threw her over his shoulder, having arrived in enough time to hear Anna claim that she was staying in the chamber to help her sister. "Hey! Kristoff, put me down! I need to be in this chamber! Kristoff!"

"You'll never hear the end of this," Kristoff warned him while Anna shouted over the two of them.

Left alone in the chamber, pressing icy cloths against her forehead, Alexander waited for men to start bringing water into the room. "Worth it," he muttered to him. Worth it to save her life. Worth it to be alone with her again. Worth it if he could keep her among the living.


	75. Chapter LXXIV

**Author's Note: Okay, a couple more housekeeping things. I had someone PM and ask about where you all can find the Southern Isles princes' names. Their names are listed on the Prologue and then again in Chapter XII, which has the ages. Secondly, someone asked about Zoe's name. It's pronounced Zoh-Ee, I just like funky spellings. Thirdly, someone commented about my...let's call it my love of cliffhangers. You make not know this, but I am actually really self conscious. In my mind, the only guarantee I have that y'all will read the next chapter is if I leave you hanging and wanting more. And lastly, someone mentioned something about my reading reviews. I just wanted to let you all know, I read each and every single review. When you guys ask for clarification, I try to incorporate it into my chapters or use my author's note for answers. So, if you read and don't review... Please do. It means the world to me. And if you already do, continue. I love them so much and they're the reason that I feel the need to update so often. Okay? Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXIV**

Kayleigh stormed over to the shore, ignoring the man who was trying desperately to tell her that she couldn't walk over to the lake. She saw the words formed clearly on his lips, but she didn't acknowledge them. The entire keep knew that she was deaf. Hopefully the man would just think that she hadn't seen him shouting after her or hadn't understood his words. What she had to do was far more important that preserving a few men's modesty. Besides, she had seen countless men naked. _And_ she was going to find Jonas. If he'd proven anything in the last ten days, it was that he would never hurt her.

The four brothers were each in their own little corner of the small lake, washing to clean themselves. She knew a moment of fear as she realized that there were other men in the water, men that she didn't know, men that could hurt her. But she supposed that as long as Jonas was there to smooth things over and act as her interpreter, she would be safe. So, she stooped down and picked up a small, smooth pebble, lobbing it over to Jonas' part of the lake.

He swirled around immediately, frowning when he caught sight of the small redhead standing with her hands crossed over her chest and a deadly glare on her face. "What are you doing here, Kayleigh?" he asked her sinking down in the water so only his neck and head showed in the water. "You can't be here, Kayleigh." She just continued to scowl at him. "Okay, fine, I give up. Tell me what's brought you out here." By this time, Nick, Noah, and Sebastian had turned to stare at him talking to a girl that they had never met. Kayleigh pointed a finger at the castle and stomped her foot impetuously. "Did someone hurt you?" he asked her. She shook her head, pointed to him, then the castle, and then put her hand over her head. "Alexander? What has Alexander done?" Things would be so much easier for them if she could just speak, but Jonas still managed to understand her points and frustrations when she didn't have something to write on. "Aye, I know that he ordered water to be taken up to the castle. He wants to bathe Elsa in it, since it's so cold."

She gave a small thumbs up, agreeing that cooling the queen with the water was smart. "So then what's the problem?" She pointed to the water, wrinkled her nose and pinched her nostrils, as if some offending order had invaded her sense. "Kayleigh, it's no that dirty. It's from the same stream and river that they get drinking water from." She marched to the waters edge and dunked her hand inside, coming up with a glob full of moss. "Well, what do you expect him to do instead?" She made a motion like she was taking a drink from a glass.

"I haven't heard her say a word," Sebastian muttered Nick and Noah as he watched the pair interact.

"Maybe she's a mute," Nick suggested.

"She's taken a shining to Jonas," Noah observed, a mischievous smile on his face. "I do believe that requires her to be initiated into our little family."

* * *

"She just thinks that you should use the drinking water instead. The water from the lake is not clean enough and Elsa has already had one infection," Jonas explained to his brother a few minutes later, shivering from the cold water that was dripping down his neck from his hair. Kayleigh nudged his side, sending a river of warmth through his skin. She handed him a small piece of paper, keeping close to his side. She'd never fully regained her trust of Alexander after his blow up at her the other day. "Kayleigh says that Elsa's system is already compromised because of the fever and the infection that she had. Exposing her to water from the lake could cause another infection in her leg or back. If you use the drinking water, you know that it is safe," he read, noticing that Kayleigh kept her head leaned back to make sure he said the things that she'd written.

"Okay; I'll order the drinking water brought up instead," Alexander agreed, wishing that Kayleigh wasn't quite so afraid of him. She refused to be in the same room as him if Jonas wasn't with her. "Thank you for seeing to Elsa's well being. I know that she couldn't be in better hands," Alexander said, attempting to make amends once again. Kayleigh nodded brusquely and turned on her heel to walk away, her face turned down to stare at the ground as she walked.

He did as he promised and brought up the crystal clear water from the cellar. Having been stored alongside ice, it was even colder than the water from the lake. Lining up the soaps and cloths while the servants brought in the water once again, he barred the door from access before pulling Elsa from her bed and into his arms. Her skin was so warm, he was practically holding a flame. He stepped into tub, feeling the cold seize him in its grip. "You owe me big for all of this," he muttered as the goose pimples puckered his skin and he sank down to the tub's bottom, settling Elsa between his knees.

She gave a hearty sigh of relief when her body felt the cold creep around her skin and swallow her whole. It was the first time in more than a week Alexander had heard anything that sounded remotely like pleasure cross her lips. Silently berating himself for not having seen the solution sooner, he settled her more comfortably in his arms, humming lightly as he lathered up a cloth to wash down the both of them. "Your sister called my brothers and demanded that they come up from the Southern Isles," he began. "She's worried that we won't have enough men who are truly loyal to us. She's worried about an uprising or something."

Elsa moved against him, rubbing her face against his shoulder. "I accidentally yelled at the healer the other evening. She's terrified of me now," he sighed, wishing that he could hear her response. She'd always given him such great advice about life. She'd always listened to him, just like he listened to her. "I don't know how to fix it. I thought that flattering her would work, but she just nods and walks away whenever she's decided that I've finished. It's not like she doesn't have support, either. Jonas just looks like he's sorry that I'm having to deal with her anger. I can't decide if he feels just brotherly towards her or something more," he told her.

Elsa's lips moved against his skin as he lapped water over her shoulders and scrubbed lightly at her skin. "You wouldn't believe what Zoe's gone and done." It was that statement that showed him how little he'd actually talked to her. For days, he'd been begging her to live, praying that she would take another breath. He hadn't actually told her about what was going on in their lives. "Lives that you haven't been participating in, I might add," he informed her. He gently pushed her forward so that he could lean her body back over his arm and wash her hair. "I haven't done this to anyone since Oliver was a kid and fell asleep after playing in the mud all day," he informed her. "Anyways, I was telling you about Zoe and Jacob." As he spilled water over her hair, taking care that it didn't wash over her face. "She's so young, Elsa. She doesn't realize that love isn't the stuff of fairytales. It's messy and frustrating. She looks at thing in such a naive way. She saw bad men in Weselton, so all men from the country were bad. It was a man from Weselton that tried to save her life."

Using the pitcher, her poured the water over her hair again to wash the soap from. After all the intimacies that they'd shared, it felt like something even more intimate to be bathing her. "I find that you're sister is not as much of a brat as I thought that she was," he informed her. "Okay, well, she is; but it's endearing now." He leaned down and pressed his lips against her forehead, glad to find the temperature almost normal. She was still a little warm, but not aflame, as she'd been earlier. "I think she's bothering Kristoff; I forced them to get married and he wants that time with her. I just don't know how to force her to do something. I should probably just accept the fact that there's no forcing Anna to do anything." He sighed a little, knowing that he had nothing else to say to her. "If I go on a hunger strike, will you wake up? In all truth, love, talking to you right now is like talking to a corpse. And I don't much like thinking of you like that."

Elsa's brow furrowed and she rolled her head, trying to get closer to him. He watched her eyelids fluttered and her mouth move. "Did you say something, love? Can you hear me? Are you awake?" he asked her, brushing her hair from her face and pleading with her to open her eyes. Elsa's mouth moved again. "Open your eyes, love. Please; look at me." She slowly lifted her eyes, her exhaustion and weakness evident in the strength that it took her to open her eyes. "What did you say?" he begged her, dying to hear her speak again.

"Boorish oaf," she muttered.


	76. Chapter LXXV

**Author's Note: More answers for y'all. Someone reviewed yesterday and asked me about character names. Obviously, some of them were given to my (Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, etc). After watching and reading a little more about Frozen, I saw that the most geographically correct place for the movie was Scandinavia. I kind of picked names that I remembered my Danish friends having when I lived over in Denmark (Alexander, Sebastian, Christian, Jonas, Oliver, etc.) and then I looked up other popular names. Zoe's name came to be because she was the youngest and Alexander was the oldest (A and Z). Henry and Henry, yes there are two, happened by a happy accident. Kayleigh is a special character to me and I really wanted her to have an Irish/Scottish feel to her (for reasons that I will explain in the story) and wanted a Gaelic-ish spelling of the name (and I love the name). **

**The other question that I got was ****_how_**** I manage to write and update for you guys. The solution is quite simple: I don't sleep. No, no; I'm being serious. I have ridiculous insomnia. Like, I'm almost beyond the point of insomnia and I've just stopped sleeping all together. My basic day is school, studying, work, second job, dinner, and then I write. If I'm in bed before 3 a.m. my time, it's a really exciting night. I do most of my homework during studying and then spend the majority of my night writing, not on FanFiction, but my work that I am getting published. So...yeah. It's not really something that I would recommend for people. But that's my big secret!**

**Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXV**

Alexander threw his head back and roared in laughter. He'd never been so happy to be insulted in all his life. He cupped her head in his hand and gently pressed her into his shoulder, rocking her back and forth to fight down his own emotions. Tears threatened to roll down his cheeks, but he wouldn't let them. This was a happy moment, not to be dampened by even the most grateful of tears. "Now, why would you call me such a rude name when I'm sitting in a tub of frozen water to cool _you_ down?" he asked her, his voice trembling desperately.

"Hunger strike?" she whispered, her voice barely more than a thread. It was sore and hoarse, but at least she was speaking again. Alexander felt like a child all over again. "Stupid, brainless," she began, but her voice trailed off with her exhaustion. She blinked lazily, slowly, and looked up at him. There were so many things that she wanted to yell at him about, but her throat was so sore and dry, she wasn't certain that she had the ability to. Instead, she stared up on his dampened hair and skin.

His cheeks were gaunt, as if he hadn't eaten anything in several weeks. His eyes were rimmed with dark circles, evidence of his lack of sleep. He looked utterly terrible, as if he hadn't given a single thought to his own care for weeks. But his eyes were what captivated. Oh, they were tired and sleep deprived, but they were shining with so much love, Elsa couldn't figure out how to respond to it. He loved her; it was clear as day, written on his face, glowing in his eyes. "You look terrible," she told him, her voice sounding like she'd been sent through a cheese grater.

"You don't look so fantastic yourself," he told her seriously, rubbing his thumb along her temple. "You look like a woman who got shot by an arrow _twice_ and almost died."

"I can't die," she replied, shivering a little as the cold penetrated her to her core. Alexander rose with her in his arms and reached for a length of soft toweling to wrap her in. She rested her cheek against his chest. "Who would help you keep your head on straight if I wasn't here?" she asked him as he placed her on the bed, keeping her rolled on her side.

"And that, my love, is why you aren't allowed to leave me," he told her seriously. "Not to say that you didn't give it your best shot. I should've known that you'd be stubborn enough to try and leave me." Her lips twitched in a small smile, her energy too deflated to give him more.

"I feel like I've been…asleep, forever," she muttered when he left her to dry himself off. She watched the play of his muscles as he twisted and turned and pulled on his own sleeping pants.

"I'm sure you do," he told her, slipping his arms underneath her to hold her close again. "Do you have the strength to sit up? I'll brush your hair and get it out of your way," he suggested. It sounded so heavenly that she decided she would find the strength. "Let me put a blanket down over by the fire so that you're comfortable." Not that the fire was even blazing. He'd ordered it extinguished days early to try to cool the chamber. "Kayleigh has had you sedated for a few days. She wanted you to sleep so that we could try and fight off your fever," he explained, spreading one of the furs on the ground for the two of them to sit on.

"You angered her," Elsa muttered, remembering that he'd talked about it when she'd just started working. "What did you do?" she asked, trying to roll herself into a sitting position.

"Stop moving," he snapped, his voice laced with gentle steel. "If you tear any stitches or hurt yourself in any way, I will have Kayleigh give you more of that draft," he warned, lifting her to his chest. Elsa noted that he was cautious about where he put his arms, as if he would cause her too much pain. "You have two wounds, Elsa. I've accidentally touched them before and you screamed at me. I won't make the mistake again." She dipped her head, looking down at the sheet he'd wrapped her in. She hadn't meant for the words to come out aloud. "Yeah, well, you've said a lot of things the last few days that I'm sure you would never have said aloud. I've given up on censuring you," he told her, sinking down to the ground.

Alexander carefully positioned her so that she was between his knees. He grabbed a pillow from the chair he'd been sleeping in, tucking it between the two of them so that she had something to support her weight. "I feel like I've missed a lot," she told him as he tucked the sheet around her and began gently drawing the brush through her hair. "You were trying to fill me in when we were in the bath, weren't you?" she asked him, proud that she managed to keep from blushing when she mentioned their shared tub.

"I was," he replied, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. "I hadn't realized how much I love hearing about your day and getting to tell you about mine until it suddenly disappeared. Strange, because I've never wanted to tell someone about my life. Not even my brothers." Her heart felt like it was flying out of her chest. He'd told her that he loved her. It wasn't that she didn't believe her, but it was something completely different to hear him talking about their lives together, especially when he talked about things that weren't physical. He was talking about being friends and being together. He was talking about sharing their lives.

She felt his fingers digging through her hair, gently. He parted it in three pieces and began a light braid, lacing the pieces around each other and tying it off with on of the leather ties he'd found at her vanity. "You braided my hair," she said, wondering where he'd learned such a skill.

"I was afraid of brain damage from your fever. It would seem all it's done is made you state the obvious," he teased. Though it was uncomfortable for him, he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kept his back hunched so that only their shoulders touched.

"I almost died saving your life and you're going to tease me about asking a question?" she muttered. She felt the tick in his jaw, the jump in the muscles that were resting against her shoulder.

He moved himself to sit in front of her and took hold of her face, his fingers gently rubbing along her cheekbones. "If you _ever_ put yourself in that kind of danger again, I will kill you myself, Elsa. You should've told me the second that you received that not. And you most definitely shouldn't have gone over to the country and given yourself up. You had to have known that he was going to keep you both."

"I didn't think he would," she admitted, feeling like a naive child. "I thought that he would keep his word. Why say something and make a promise if you didn't mean it?" Alexander felt a twinge of guilt for chastising her. She'd only been doing what she felt was right. "I just thought that it might be the best chance to get Zoe out and keep her safe. And I always thought that you would come and get me or send someone to get me."

"I would've gotten you myself," he growled. "I was trying to leave when I found out that you were gone, but I couldn't. I had to see to things here."

"To Anna," she whispered, sagging a little into his embrace. "You said that you forced her to get married."

"Well, to get married early. I was worried that someone would come up and force her to marry, getting control of Arendelle," he explained.

Her spine had turned to such mush that her forehead was now lying flush with his chest. She puckered her lips enough to kiss the patch of skin in front of her face. "Thank you for seeing to my sister's safety. I know that you two haven't gotten always gotten along."

"We're learning," he replied, wrapping his arm around her lower back and pulling her forward. "We've spent a lot of time in this room together. Anna is very similar to you. Everything that she does is out of fear. She fears being left alone or shut out. She's afraid of losing you. Once I figured that out, a lot of her actions made more sense."

"I'm glad," Elsa muttered, looking around her room. "I want you two to like each other."

"We do," he replied. He ran a hand over her head, feeling the ridges of her braid bump beneath his palm. "You are never going to leave me again, love. When you're healed a little more, when you're feeling better, we'll sit down and talk about things."

"What things?" she asked, pulling back to look at him in questions.

"Kingdoms," he replied, kissing the tip of her nose. "But all of that can wait a little while. For the moment, I just need a kiss."


	77. Chapter LXXVI

**Author's Note: What we have here is a series of good intentions that have gone terribly wrong. You know, the road to Hell and all that... By the way, someone asked about drama for the story. I've got more. We were just having a little fluff and angst instead. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXVI**

Three days after Elsa's awakening, Kayleigh was leaving the room when she caught Zoe's eye. The two had done very little talking in the last two weeks. In fact, though Kayleigh knew that Zoe'd had a falling out with Jacob, she had no idea what had happened between the couple. The only thing that she knew was that she spent hours cuddling Zoe close and letting her friend cry. "How is she?" Zoe asked her, looking at Elsa's door. Kayleigh just smiled and nodded, having just checked on the healing queen.

"Do you…do you want to go for a walk? Maybe talk a little about stuff?" Zoe suggested. She'd had such high hopes for coming home and now, she found herself almost wishing that she could be back in Weselton. At least there, she hadn't been betrayed by the man that she'd thought that she'd loved. Kayleigh pointed to Zoe and then stretched up on her tiptoes, holding her hand above her head to indicate the giant warrior. "Yes, about me and Jacob," Zoe grumbled. She linked her arm through her friends, noticing the way that Kayleigh immediately turned around, as if she was looking for someone.

"Can I help you find someone?" Zoe asked, nearly giggling at the comment. Kayleigh had always been a solitary person. In fact, in the years that they had known each other, Kayleigh had never had friends besides Zoe and Jacob. Kayleigh nodded a little distractedly, still scanning her surroundings for Jonas. He'd stopped following her, at her behest, proved that she tell him where she was going. He didn't want her to come to harm or be unable to find her if he needed to. He was usually somewhere nearby, where she could find him and tell him where she was going. "If you tell me who it is, I can help you," Zoe said.

Kayleigh went over the group one more time before she decided that he was no where to be found and shook her head. She walked with Zoe out to the courtyard, watching Zoe's face carefully for some kind of sign that the girl wanted to talk. Finally, Zoe took a deep breath and licked her lips. Kayleigh turned to fully face her friend, making sure she could see her face clearly. "Jacob isn't from the Southern Isles," Zoe whispered, knowing that it wouldn't matter to Kayleigh what the tone was. "He lied to me because he knew that I wouldn't trust anyone from Weselton." Kayleigh furrowed her brows and jabbed a finger at herself. "Well, you're different. You're not like all the men that hurt us. I knew what they did to you and I knew you wouldn't hurt me. After all you tried to keep me from suffering the same fate," Zoe pointed out. Kayleigh stretched her arm over her head and shook her head. Zoe frowned, not understanding. Kayleigh pointed to Jacob, who was lingering at the edge of their little grove of trees. She shook her head adamantly, frustrated that she'd had to repeat herself. Jonas always seemed to understand. In the two weeks that she'd been in Arendelle, she was rarely without him. "How is Jacob not like them? He lied to me. I can't trust someone who lied to me about his entire life."

But he hadn't lied to her about his entire life. Only where he'd come from. And that, of course, had only happened because Zoe had proclaimed that she would never trust another person from Weselton. She'd practically forced Jacob to lie to her. Kayleigh cupped her hands as if she was holding an infant, gently rocking them back and forth. She then pointed to Zoe with an obvious look of contempt on her face. "A baby? I am not acting like a baby," Zoe growled. With her eyebrows winged a little bit and her mouth pursed, Kayleigh nodded. "You're my best friend. You're supposed to side with me." Kayleigh, shook her head, pointed to herself, tapped her temple, and held up one finger. "If you're the smart one, what am I?" She stepped forward and cupped Zoe's cheeks in her hands, smiling at her. "I am more than just a pretty face, you brat!" Kayleigh just smiled at her. "Oh! You are no help!"

With that, Zoe turned around and stalked away, the steam practically shooting out of her ears as she walked. Kayleigh rolled her eyes, wishing that Zoe wouldn't act like such a child. Jacob was only trying to get to know her. He wasn't trying to hurt her or betray. In fact, he was trying to do just the opposite of that.

A hand closed around her shoulder, unfamiliar and not nearly as rough as Jonas'. Kayleigh jerked out of the hold and glanced up at the man, folding her arms over her chest. "Sorry," the man replied. He was tall and broad. His eyes were sparkling with mischief. He smiled easily at her, as if he'd known her his entire life. "I'm Nicholas, one of Jonas' brothers." She recognized him immediately, remembering that he'd been in the lake she'd come down to find Jonas. So she gave a tiny wave and smiled at him a little. "Jonas was looking for you out at the crofter huts. He thought that you might have been needed there. He's worried about you. I can take you there," he suggested.

Kayleigh told herself sternly that these men were Jonas' brothers. Jonas had proven several times over that he wouldn't hurt her. She had to learn to start trusting people against if she was going to start her new life in Arendelle or the Southern Isles. She nodded her head and fiddled with the tail of braid that hang over her shoulder, trying to calm her nerves. She followed Nick to the forest, down into farmland, and over to the crofters huts. She could see shadows of people in the abandoned hut and frowned, missing the impish glint in Nick's eyes when he saw her hesitancy. Regardless, Kayleigh stepped forward and pushed the door open.

The doorway engulfed in smoke so thick, Kayleigh couldn't see her hand before her face. She waved the dense air away, trying to see things. A demon's face jumped in front of her, rough hands grasping her waist as she felt the vibrations of crackling wood by her ear. She jerked out of the monster's hold and stumbled back, following to the ground in her haste. Nicholas didn't appear to be helping her her; in fact, he was laughing.

Tears stung at her eyes as she wondered if she'd trusted the wrong man. Maybe he wasn't Jonas' brother. She couldn't imagine Jonas doing anything so hurtful. She pushed to her feet, lose wisps of hair flying around her face as she sprinted away from the hut, checking behind her shoulder to make sure that she wasn't being followed by whatever had been in that hut.

Noah lifted the mask he'd carved from wood and looked at his brother's doubled over form. Very few things were funnier than someone who freaked out at a mask. It was good for people to know who the twins were, right off the bat. Nick and Noah were the jokesters in the family. They'd branded themselves as such when they'd been little more than kids balancing buckets of water on doorjambs to pour of their brothers' heads. However, when he wiped his own tears of laughter from his eyes, he noticed that the mute girl was no where to be found.

"Where'd she go?" Noah asked, nudging Nick into a standing position. "You were supposed to stop her so we could explain that it was just a joke."

"She must've run," Nick said, looking at the trees that surrounded them.

Kayleigh's chest hurt as she sprinted, as she tried desperately to find her way out of an unfamiliar forest. Every single tree seemed to look exactly the same as the next. She'd turned herself in such knots, she couldn't even figure out which way that she had run from. She was in the middle of a forest, surrounded by a demon and a man that clearly didn't care whether she was hurt or not. She backed against the tree and sank down to the dirt, feeling the bark scrape painfully at her back as she slid to the ground and covered her arms.

She knew better than to trust people. She knew better than to trust men. Her parents had taught her what people like her deserved. It was why they'd hurt her the way they had, why she'd ended up as a whore in the king's kingdom. And yet, even as she told herself that she was never going to trust a person besides Zoe again, her heart screamed for Jonas. She wanted him to take her back to the kingdom and tell her that everything was going to be okay. Instead, she only leaned forward and pressed her forehead to her knees, praying for something to take her from this hell.


	78. Chapter LXXVII

**Author's Note: Here's the chapter for today (unless I receive an overwhelming number of reviews). Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXVII**

"I disapprove," Noah said simply when they found Jonas sitting in the Great Hall with Anna and Kristoff, their heads bent over some book or another. Jonas looked up when he heard his brother's voice, frowning at the simple statement. He had no idea what Noah was talking about and he didn't really care. He had to finish making decisions for the rest of planting, after Anna had consulted Elsa, and he needed to go and find Kayleigh. There were several things they needed to talk about.

"What do you disapprove of, Noah?" Jonas asked.

"The girl; the redhead that you were talking to that day at the lake. We disapprove," Nick explain. The redheaded girl? Kayleigh?

Jonas was out of his chair and pounding across the hall in an instant. "What did you two do to her?" he growled, his fear gnawing at his stomach. Kayleigh didn't know much about Arendelle and the only people that she knew were in the castle walls. "Where is she?"

"Don't get your bonnet in a bunch," Noah muttered. "We just gave her a little scare and she ran away like a terrified little baby. We thought that she made it back here. We wanted to apologize," he explained. From the worried look on his face, Jonas hadn't seen the girl. "Isn't she back? She ran in this direction, didn't she Nick?"

"I don't know; I was laughing too hard. She screamed so loud and fell on her arse," Nick was saying, finding himself chuckling over the memory once again.

"Just because things are funny to you doesn't mean that they're funny to everyone," Jonas snapped, shoving between the boys to go in search of the small healer. "You have no idea what you've done. She's terrified of people. Terrified. Do you have any idea how much damage you've done? We've all been working to make her feel safe and welcome here and you've undone it all." The leather souls of his boots slapped against the stone as he marched through the castle to find the girl. "Olaf! Olaf!"

He wasn't sure that he would ever get used to talking to a snowman, but Olaf had a habit of knowing everything around the castle. "Olaf, have you seen Kayleigh?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Did she talk to anyone today?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Can you take me to her?"

"Jonas, we weren't trying to freak her out or anything. We were just trying to get to know her," Nick was apologizing.

"Hey! We're focusing here," Olaf snapped. "Yeah, why?"

"Because I need to find her, Olaf. My brothers are as brainless as Elsa claimed. Where is Kayleigh?" he asked, tired of hearing the phrase yeah, why? He had a very limited amount of time before night set in. Arendelle was beautiful and sunny during the day, but when night fell and the sun disappeared, the air was practically frozen.

"I haven't seen her since lunch. She went into the forest when Sven and I were looking for my new nose," he explained.

"Why do you need a new nose? Never mind," Jonas was quick to add. "I don't care. You haven't seen Kayleigh in a few hours?"

"Yeah, why?"

He was fairly certain he was going to hurt the little snowman if he stayed in his area any longer. "Jacob!" he shouted, turning to get his help instead. If Kayleigh was out there, terrified and afraid, she would want to see a friendly face. She felt safe with him and comfortable with Jacob. "Kayleigh is missing and we need to find her. I need you to come with me."

"But Zoe...?"

"She'll be here. Please; Kayleigh needs people that she knows right now. Zoe will still hate you when we get back," Jonas promised. "Come on."

Jonas, Jacob, Sebastian, Nick and Noah took to the horses, loping through the trees and bushes to find her. Nick and Noah led them back to the hut where they'd pulled the prank. "Kayleigh!" Sebastian started calling.

"Don't bother; she's deaf," Jonas snapped, fearing mounting in the pit of his stomach. The sky was starting to grow grey with the onset of sunset and the air was already turning a little more frigid. "She won't hear. If we're going to find her, it'll be by the grace of God." His brothers were both dead when he had Kayleigh back to the castle. It was as if they'd learned nothing after putting the poppers beneath Elsa's chair all those months ago. Not everyone had the same sense of humor.

Jonas stopped at a particularly large boulder and tried to think about what Kayleigh would've done. She wouldn't have wanted to stop running, especially if she was afraid of his brothers. He followed the path to the left, praying that Kayleigh would've gone that direction. It was the way the path bent. "We'll head this way!" Jacob shouted. Jonas nodded, knowing that Jacob would be a comfort to her. If someone else showed up, she might freak out all the more. At least Jacob was a familiar face to her.

His horse's hooves dug into the dirt as Jonas scanned the surrounding area for the girl. "How can a girl with orange hair disappear in a bloody forest?" he asked himself when he still didn't see her anywhere. Something that he couldn't quite identify pulled him off the path entirely, towards the hills that led up to the North Mountain. He couldn't see her anywhere, despite the instinct that was telling him she'd gone the complete wrong direction. He du his heels a little deeper into his horse's flesh to make the animal go a little faster. A flash of red appeared in his vision as he rounded a tree. Even knowing that she was deaf couldn't stop him from shouting her name in relief. Naturally, she didn't even look up at him.

Her shoulders shook with quiet sobs and her mass of hair obscured her face entirely. He slid from his horse and tossed the animal's reins over a low hanging branch. He approached her like he would a skittish horse, hoping to give her a chance to see him walking up to her. He purposely banged his foot on the ground and felt the earth vibrate beneath him. Kayleigh's head popped up immediately, the trails of wet tears tugging at his heart. He couldn't honestly remember seeing her so sad. Her lip trembled as her lips formed letters that looked somewhat similar to his name. "It's okay now, Kayleigh. I'm here to take you back to the castle."

She didn't look like she'd understood his words. She was too trapped in her own despondent world, too wrapped up in her own misery. She didn't want to go back to the castle. She wanted to crawl in a hole and waste away to nothing. "Kayleigh, lass," he repeated, trying to get some sign of acknowledgement from her. Jonas took a step closer towards her and sank down into a crouch before. With a gentle tug on her hands, he pulled them into his own and watched her eyes stare at where they hands were joined. He treated her like a china doll as he pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her.

Kayleigh had wanted to crawl into a hole and die, but as Jonas' arms enveloped her and his heavy jaw came to rest on her head, she decided that this was even better. Jonas ran his hand up and down her back, holding her close. His thighs hurt from staying crouched, but he didn't care at the moment. He needed to get her calmed enough to take her back home, where he could explain things to her. She hated Alexander for his blowup. Now, she would hate Nick and Noah for their foolishness. He couldn't even be upset at his brothers for not knowing that she was deaf. She held her head high and was able to read lips so easily, it was difficult to know whether or not she was deaf or simply mute. Although, technically, she was both.

He gathered her just a little closer and stood, dragging her up with him. Kayleigh surprised him by wrapping her arms around his waist and clinging to him while she sobbed. He wished that he could tell her anything, give her just a little bit of comfort But he couldn't. She wouldn't hear him and he wasn't about to waist his breath. So, he stood there and let her sob, holding her tight in his embrace and relishing in the trust that she placed in his arms.

Sebastian and Noah had left him to comfort the girl and go tell the others that they'd found her. His own horse snorted and reared, tugging the barely looped rein free from his tie as he bolted. Jonas lifted his head and looked around, trying to find out what had spooked the horse. A low growling sounded from behind him, chilling his spine and warning him to the danger that was lurking behind him. He pushed Kayleigh away from him the slightest bit so that he could look around and find the monsters. Kayleigh tapped his shoulder, her eyes puffy and red from her tears. She frowned at him in question, grateful when he understood immediately. "Wolves," he told her.


	79. Chapter LXXVIII

**Author's Note: Y'all keep me on my toes when it comes to author's notes. Okay, we're going to do another really long note for all your questions. **

**1) Elsa & Anna: A lot of you have asked about their connection and how strong their bond is. If you really think about things (and this is the way my brain thinks about things) their bond isn't all that strong. They're still reconnecting. Elsa locked her sister out for years and now, the both of them are having to try and figure out how to get back to the way that they used to be. Since the end of Frozen and in following my plot, so much has happened for them, that regaining that connection. Now, you will see more of that in the next ten chapters. **

**2) Ms. N. Nelson: You really fired some question at me tonight. Okay, so let's go through you're review. Elsa had been drugged. I don't know if you've ever had sleeping pills or NyQuil or something, but your brain gets a little muddled. Wait a few chapters and you'll see. We're in the middle of Kayleigh and Jonas, but I promise all of you there will be an Emily & Oliver section, and the Zoe & Jacob solution coming up tomorrow, a Kristoff & Anna day after that, and then we'll be back to Elsa & Alexander (not that we won't see them throughout). **

**3) To the Guest who left me the long review: Everything will be answered in the next few days for all of your questions and comments. I'm so glad that you (and a lot of other people) seem to be enjoying the original characters that I've made. It's awesome to see you guys loving on characters that you hadn't even met until I started writing. As for your question for my book, I invite everyone to please go and check out mcolli24 dot wix dot com / mikaylamichelon (remove spaces and turn dots into .) and you'll find everything you need to know. There have been some complications with publication, but we're hoping to have it out and available by June 1st, at the latest. **

**Last order of business! My finals schedule has been solidified and posted. The second week of May, I have final the 5 through 8 and then I will be traveling on the 8th. I don't say this to tell you guys that I won't be updating, but to let you know that chapters might drop down to double updates instead of triples and they will be late at night. As for the 8th, I have work in the morning, final in the afternoon, and my plane in the evening. ****_Sooooo_****, when we get closer to the date, I'll ask you guys whether you want late updates on the 8th or extra chapters on the 9th. Okay? **

**Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXVIII**

Jonas swiveled Kayleigh behind him and willed her to obey. It wasn't one of her skills, but he prayed that she would. He needed to make sure that she was safe. The wolves began coming closer, hunched down and prepared for their attack. What he wouldn't give for the woman to be able to hear. At least then he could explain things to her. Kayleigh clutched at his hand and pressed her chest to his back, staring at the glowing yellow eyes that were coming closer. Jonas had unsheathed the sword at his hip and held it out, but he knew that it would do no good. He couldn't hold off an entire pack with just a sword. "Sebastian!" he shouted, hoping that they were still close enough to hear him. "Nicholas! Noah!" The twins were definitely dead after this was all finished.

He felt Kayleigh's warmth pressed against his spine, keeping herself as tight to him as she could. It was the first time in her life that she'd ever done so willingly. Jonas swallowed back his fear and took a step back, forcing Kayleigh to stumble back a step, too. She braced the hand that wasn't locked within his on his forearm, peering around his broad shoulders and looked at the animals that were coming nearer. The light was dwindling, the sun setting beneath the tree line. The first wolf lunged, but it was quick work to make sure that it was kicked to the side. The animal yelped and rolled over, allowing a second and third to jump towards him. He knew that he would lose the battle, but he refused to let Kayleigh get dragged along with him. He shoved her back, nearly bouncing her off the tree that was just behind the two of them.

Kayleigh wanted to scream his name and wished that she could speak, that she could call out for help. Instead, she screamed as loudly as she could, willing the wolves to go away and the brothers to arrive. Much as she gated Nick and Noah, they were the only ones who could stop all of this. They needed more people if they were going to survive all of this. So she screeched as loud as she could, hoping that she would somehow get someone to hear them and scare the wolves away.

A wolf lunged behind her and sank its fangs into her shoulder. Kayleigh's screams of fear turned to pain. "Kayleigh!" Jonas snarled, rolling in the snow to trying and get to her. He kicked free of one of the wolves, feeling it take his flesh with it. He knew he wounded the other wolf when the animal yelped. Finally free, he scrambled to Kayleigh's side and gave the fiercest cry that he could. The animal growled, but realized the predator before him was larger and, clearly, more determined. The wolf fled, leaving Kayleigh on the ground. "Kayleigh?" he breathed, as he knelt down beside her.

He gently rolled her, glad to see that she'd fought enough that she only had the one bite mark and several scratches on her forearms. He crushed her to his chest and hefted her into the air, turning to find a way to keep her safe. A howl sounded from somewhere beyond the trees. All the animals stopped, perked their ears up and growled again, but they didn't come up to the couple again. Instead, they turned away from him and cantered off into their forests, in search of another meal. Kayleigh's chest heaved, her arms wrapped around his neck to balance herself.

Jonas gently dropped her to her feet, but kept his arm wrapped around her waist. He tipped her chin up to look at him, so she would see his mouth. "Are you okay?" he asked her, his own just billowing with exertion. She simply nodded, staring up at him with wonder. He was a bloody mess, scratch marks lining his cheeks and chest. He was bleeding heavily from his shoulder, the wetness gushing beneath her arm. Kayleigh frowned at him and tapped his chest, her brows furrowed in worry. "I'm fine, lass," he promised her, fighting the wince.

He slid his hand to her lower back and urged her forward. "There's a crofter hut that actually has people in it just ahead. We'll see if they'll loan us a horse or a wagon to take us back home," he said. It was the first time that someone had touched her and she'd felt so calm about it. Even Zoe made her jump a little. "Can you walk?" he asked her. Well, of course she could walk. What else would she do? "Kayleigh?" She saw his mouth moving, but somehow, couldn't even nod at him.

Unsure what had her so frozen, Jonas stooped and brought her into his arms again, pressing her unscratched side against his chest. He followed the path down to the gathering of farmer's huts that were built for the farmers and their families to live. Surely there would be one kind soul in the midst of all the village that would give him a horse to bring them back to the castle. "Good Lord, boy, what happened to the two of you?" an older woman asked when Jonas came knocking on her home. "Are you all right, sweetheart?" she demanded, leaning forward to inspect a still static Kayleigh.

Kayleigh was having a difficult time understanding why she felt so safe with Jonas. He was no different from any other man that she had ever known. At least, he shouldn't be different from other men. But he was. There was no denying it. There was something about his very makeup that made her feel like she could tell him everything, even the horrible truth that she'd never shared with anyone. She kept her eyes fixed on his shoulder, resting her temple against his skin as he walked them around the corner of a hut.

His fingers were gentle as he tipped her head back so that she could see his face. "I have to get onto the horse, Kayleigh. Can you stand for a moment?" he asked her. She nodded and watched him struggling onto the horse's bareback, having taken only a bridle from the woman. He winced and frowned as he pulled himself up and turned to reach for her. How could she have been so selfish as not to notice his injuries? He was in far more pain than she was, but he was the one carrying her over rugged terrain and leaning down to pluck her from the ground.

The ride to the castle was short, but easily one of the most painful rides of Jonas' short life. He kept his arms tight around Kayleigh, not only to hold her on the horse and keep her safe, but to have something solid to hold onto and keep his head in the moment. He slid from the horse's back when they arrived and reached for her, but Kayleigh simply shook her head. "Lass, I don't have time to argue with you. You have a bite in your shoulder."

She glared at him as if he'd insulted her and dropped from the horse's back swiftly, not even staying long enough to make sure that the stable boy had the reins in hand. She poked him straight in the chest, a little more forceful than necessary, stomped her foot on the ground to show him the steadily growing puddle of blood on the ground, and pointed to the castle. "I'm hardly injured, Kayleigh." Sometimes, her expressions were nearly as fiery as her hair, the braid having come undone in her tussle on the ground. She snapped her fingers and pointed back at the castle. "Fine, fine. You don't need to be so bossy, you know. You could just…gesture politely."

Her expression fell a little more. No longer was she concerned. No, she was unamused. The two of them took the stairs again, Jonas' hand still fitted to her back as he led her back into the Great Hall. Alexander stood in the doorway, completely dressed to go out and find them. A tired, haggard looking Elsa stood just behind him, wrapped in a robe and leaning against the stair's banister. "You two are covered in blood! What on earth happened?" Elsa asked, pushing away from the banister and striding over to them.

Kayleigh narrowed her eyes at him and made a sewing motion. "Yes, I know. Kayleigh wants to inspect my wounds," he told his brother and the young queen. _And I'm going to check hers,_ he added to himself. "If you'll excuse us, she's already ready to take my head off for trying to help her. I'm going to take her upstairs," he said, pressing against her back to bring her alongside him.

Alexander wrapped his arms around Elsa and tucked her into his chest. "Next time we do a family activity, I suggest sailing," Elsa muttered as she looked at the trail of blood that followed the pair up the stairs. "You know, as an alternative to near death experiences."


	80. Chapter LXXIX

**Author's Note: We're jumping back in time to find out about Ollie & Emily. Also, be forewarned that a new character may or may not be introduced in the next few days. Any guesses for whom? Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXIX**

"Wait a second! Oliver, I can't just marry you," Emily was shouting at him later in the afternoon. Ollie had gone and seen to Hans' imprisonment, made sure that Christian had everything under his control. He may or may not have taken a minor detour to go and fetch her father for dinner, hoping that he would be able to talk to the old man before the meal so the castle could feast in celebration of his nuptials. "You kissed me for the first time today. People don't kiss and get married!"

"What stories did your father read to you before bed?" Oliver laughed. "This is exactly what is supposed to happen, Emily. It's not as if we met at a ball and I decided that I wanted you and only you. I've known you your entire life. I know everything about you and you know everything about me. This isn't some spur-of-the-moment thing; I've been waiting for you to open your eyes for _years_. I know that you love me. You know that I love you. What more is needed for us to get married?" he asked her.

"A priest? Your brother to bless our marriage? My father? A celebration? A ring? Ollie, weddings take a few weeks to plan. You don't just decide to get married and...and..." Ollie rushed forward and captured her mouth in his, pushing his fingers through her hair and gently pulling the stitches of the braid loose so her hair tumbled over her shoulders and between their chests. He kept his eyes open until she closed hers and melted against him, wrapping her arms around his waist and clutching him closer. Satisfied, he let his own eyes slide closed to enjoy the embrace.

When he pulled away, Emily wasn't sure that her head were ever stop spinning. Oliver brushed his thumbs along her temple and smiled at her bemusedly. "Your father is already here. I'm planning to go and talk to him before we sit down for the meal. I have a runner going to find the priest so he can bless the marriage. And as for Alexander giving his blessing, he did so _months_ ago, after everything happened with Hans," he told her in one long rush. "Your ring will have to wait until I've talked with your father. I can't make you start weeping before we're sure he'll give his blessing."

"You're a prince, Ollie. He'd be a fool to deny you," she told him, pressing her lips against his, taking control of the kiss this time. She arched her back so that her chest was pressed into his, but she was still able to kiss him. Oliver moved his hands from her face to her spine, pressing her against him and refusing to let her leave him. She was his. She was made for him and he was never going to let another soul have her again.

"I have to go and talk to your father," he breathed as he pulled away, too tempted to haul her to the bed and finish what his body was desperately craving. "Thank you for being cooperative, by the way," he added with a twinkle in his eye.

"I hope you know that you are not allowed to kiss me into silence every time that I'm saying something that you don't like to hear," she grumbled at him, moving deftly around the room to fold a blanket that was lying in a heap on the ground. "Good Lord, this room is a disaster. Maybe you didn't let me in here because you know how terrible it looked."

"Or maybe I was waiting to have a wife to nag me about cleaning our chamber," he retorted. "I'll be back to escort you to dinner, sunshine." He kissed her forehead this time, knowing that her mouth would be too sweet for him to pull away again. Her words about his station didn't help his nerves. He knew that he didn't deserve Emily, regardless of the fact that he was a prince and she was a maid. She was sweetness, kindness, patience. Emily was perfection. He was anything but.

Her father was sitting in one of the various reading rooms scattered around the castle. Alexander had insisted the knowledge was greater than strength. A man could be stronger than an ox, but without knowledge of his kingdom and his enemies, he was useless. Many of the rooms that had once been used for strategic planning had been converted into libraries and study rooms for the boys and their various tutors. "Prince Oliver," the weathered old man said when he saw the young royal entering the room. "I appreciate your invitation, sir, but I'm not so ignorant as to know that this is unusual."

"You're right about that, Mr. Peterson," Oliver replied. "There is some business that I want to talk to you about, sir, before we begin our meal." The older Guard licked his lips and crossed his arms over his chest. "It is about your daughter, Emily."

"I know that you've been a good friend to her, Prince. I owe you much, including her life after her ordeal with your brother, Prince Hans," the man was quick to say. "I understand that the girl deserved punishment and she only escaped it because of you and the King's mercy."

"This isn't about that," Oliver rushed to explain. "As you have mentioned, Emily has been a dear friend to me for years. But I would be lying to you if I said that I want more from her, Mr. Peterson." The man's brows dropped over his eyes so swiftly, the dark rings beneath his eye turned black.

"My daughter will _not_ be your mistress. I know that it is common for boys your age, especially princes, to take a mistress. I understand that it's even an honor for some women to be placed on high as a mistress to the prince or the king. But not my Emily. I won't have you ruining my daughter's good name and reputation. It isn't honorable; not for Emily."

"You misunderstand. I don't want to make Emily my mistress. I want to make her my wife," Oliver said. He crossed his arms over his chest and tried to hide the way that his hands trembled. The older man's eyebrows rose, giving youth to his gruff face.

"And I suppose that, because you're the prince, you expect to give my blessing and be done with it all, correct?" the soldier asked, his voice rough. He snorted, as if the idea of such a thing was so ignorant, it was comical. "Well, you best listen to me boy. That little girl is the only thing that I have in this world. I lost her mother to bring her into the world. I'm not giving her up to just anyone; and I don't if you are a prince!" His chest heaved with exertion, his care for his daughter evident by the dark growl on his face. "Why should I give up my pride and joy, huh? What makes you think that you deserve her?"

"I don't," Oliver said, his voice completely serious. "This isn't about station or status. I don't deserve Emily. She's the greatest person that I have ever met. Being a prince has nothing to do with it. I could be a king and I wouldn't be good enough for her, wouldn't be worthy of her kindness and warmth and patience and… Sir, I'm not worthy of Emily, but she makes me _want_ to be worthy of her. She makes me want to be a better man, even while I'm not sure that it's an attainable goal. I'm not sure that I'll ever be the man that she deserves."

The old man's face was flat, schooled into a mask that Oliver couldn't read. After all, the guard'd had years to learn how conceal his emotions. He worked in a prison; he guarded men who wanted to get some kind of rise out of him. The only person in the world who truly saw his emotions was his little girl. He knew that she relied on Oliver, even when he'd discouraged the relationship. He'd always assumed that the young prince had stood up for his daughter because the boy valued their friendship. It had never occurred to him that Oliver harbored affection that extended beyond sisterly.

"I'll do everything within my power to keep her happy, sir," Oliver said when Emily's father had been silent for a few minutes. "She'll want for nothing; I'll see to it. But if you don't give your blessing, if you realize that I'm unworthy of her, I'll understand. I only want the best for her."

"And _that_, lad, is the correct answer," the old prison watch said, his face splitting to reveal a large grin. "You were willing to let her go, if need be. So long as your brother has no objections, I give my hearty blessing."


	81. Chapter LXXX

**Author's Note: I mean to have this up earlier but I took a nap...that turned into a mini coma. (Well, a mini coma for me). Anyways, I'll still have the other chapter up tonight with the introduction of a new character. (Evil laughter) **

* * *

**Chapter LXXX**

"Alexander!" Noah shouted as he pounded up the stairs. "Alexander, we need to talk!" Nick was right at his heels. The two of them had seen the anger burning on Jonas' face when he'd gone looking for the girl. They had assumed that there was something between the couple; obviously, since Jonas very seldom opened himself up to other people. Neither one of them had been prepared for the wrath that they'd encountered. Jonas didn't just care for the woman; no, this was something so much more than anyone had been prepared for. They most definitely didn't want to tell Alexander about their prank-gone-wrong, but Jonas, Kayleigh, and Jacob were all missing.

Alexander stepped into the hallway, closing Elsa's door behind him. "I swear, the two of you better have a good reason for pulling me from that room. Elsa hasn't been awake for three days and you all are already pounding on the door?" he demanded, his eyes narrowed and his hair disheveled. One look at his brothers' obvious despondency, though, and Alexander changed objectives. "What's wrong? What happened?" he asked immediately, running his hand through his hair to try and manage it.

"So," Noah began drawing out the 'o.' "We thought that it would be funny to pull a prank on Jonas' little love interest, since it's kind of the way that we've decided to initiate women into our family."

"Yeah, and so we brought Kayleigh out to the abandon crofter's hut And Noah wore a mask-" Nick began, but was quickly interrupted.

"And I scared her by jumping out in front of her though the smoke."

"And Kayleigh fell."

"I thought that she was fine, but when I stopped laughing, she was gone."

"We thought that she'd gone back to the castle, but when we got here we couldn't find her," Nick explain.

"She'd never come back."

Alexander frowned. That wasn't like the Kayleigh that he'd come to know. She was usually around the courtyard with Jonas walking after her like a horse on a lead. If she went anywhere, she was normally back after a few hours. "What did the two of you do?" Alexander growled.

"We explained," Nick shouted. "We pulled a prank."

"And then the two of them left her in the forest," Sebastian cutting in, tired of listening to the two of them talk over one another. "We went out to go and find her. Jonas shouted out that he had her and, when she started crying, we all left. But that was hours ago."

"They're missing," Alexander surmised.

"Alex," Elsa's soft voice carried through the small space. Alexander cursed himself, having not even heard the door open. "You need to go and find them. It's evening and getting too cold to be our there," she whispered.

"What are you doing out of bed? Elsa, you need to rest if you're going to get healthy any time soon." Alexander gently wrapped his hand around her upper arm and the other around her waist, as if he needed to give her support. "It's only been three days, love."

"I'm perfectly fine to stand up for a little while, Alexander," she mumbled. "Besides, I'm tired of being in my bedroom all the time anyways. I'll go and sit in the Great Hall for a little while. Go get dressed so that you can go on the search, Alex. It's your brother that's missing," she insisted. His eyes searched his face, scanning for any sign of exhaustion or even the slightest fatigue. When he could find nothing but a brow that was only lightly furrowed in pain, he nodded.

"I may have forgotten to mention that Jacob's missing too," Sebastian added. A startled gasp sounded behind them, decidedly feminine and full of fear. "Zoe," Sebastian breathed, not having realized his sister had been coming from her room. "I'm sure he's just fine," he tried to amend, but the damage was already done. In Zoe's mind, men went missing and never came back. That was the way that it worked in Weselton. The king had made men disappear. Her conscious mind knew that Alexander wouldn't have killed Jacob, but her brain kicked back to automatic mode, to what she'd known growing up.

"I have to find him," she breathed. "He thinks that I hate him, Alex. The last thing that I told him was that I would never trust him again." Her heart pounded in her chest, though it would've been more comfortable if she'd had a hand wrapped around the muscle. "Please find him."

"We will, sweetie," Alexander assured her. "We'll find him and Kayleigh and Jonas. If anyone else feels like going missing, this would be the appropriate time." He practically slammed the door shut behind him when he stalked back into Elsa's chamber to find his clothing.

"He's so touchy," Sebastian grumbled. "I should probably give him that note from Oliver."

"And the one from Klaus," Nick added. "Shouldn't we be getting a note from Klaus in Weselton any day now?" he added.

"Yes," Noah muttered. "We'll have to look into that. But now is not the time. Nick, we messed up. We have to make this right. Making it right starts by finding the two of them and then we have to apologize to the healer."

Zoe paced the Great Hall, ignoring everyone around her. She didn't care about Alexander bringing Elsa down to the Great Hall. She didn't care about the way that her brothers were putting everything together in order to go out searching for the three missing people. Kayleigh had called her a baby only a few hours earlier. At the time, Zoe had thought that her friend was just being stupid. Zoe had been forced to grow up so much earlier than most people. She'd been forced to learn about being things that no sixteen-year-old should know. But when she thought about what Jacob had done, when she thought about the lies that he'd told, she couldn't imagine forgiving him.

And then she thought about never seeing him again.

Somehow, everything that he'd done seemed insignificant in light of the fact that he was gone. For days, she'd been ignoring him, but it hadn't stopped him from trailing after her, from protecting her. Wasn't _that_ true love? Maybe true love was knowing that things could go wrong and you could still _be_ in love. Maybe it was hating the person with every fiber of your being and loving them with every beat of your heart. "King Alexander?"

Zoe whipped around at the sound of the deep voice that didn't belong to any of her brothers. Jacob strode through the castle doors, his brows pushed low over his eyes as he struggled to see through the blood dripping from his forehead. "Jacob!" she screeched, her voice breaking as she lunged for him and locked her arms around his waist. Her head barely reached his sternum. She remembered how angry she'd been the day she'd realized it, back when he used to all her _small fry._ Now, she wouldn't have it any other way.

Jacob's arms closed around, engulfing her in his embrace. One hand dug through her hair and palmed the back of her head while the other wrapped around her waist and clung to her as desperately as she clung to him. "You're alive," she whispered in an awe filled voice. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said those things. I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

"Sh, sh," he hushed. "King Alexander, Jonas and Kayleigh have been attacked by wolves. I waited to find out if the two of them were safe after Jonas announced that he'd found her. There was a man who was howling. I brought him back with me. He's with the stable master."

"Sebastian," Alexander said simply. "They still haven't returned and they could be seriously injured. Elsa, love, I need to go out and see to their search," he muttered.

"I'm sure that Jacob can help me et into the Great Hall," Elsa replied quietly. "Go." She kissed his jawline, since it was the only part of him that she could reach. She winked at Jacob when Alexander started towards the hall. "I think I'd like to stand for a moment or two. You two need to talk."

"That we do," Jacob agreed. He pressed a kiss to the top of Zoe's auburn head, inhaling the sweet cinnamon scent of her. "I do believe that you said that you were sorry. Now, much as I hate to rub it in your face, you _never_ say those words. If you wouldn't mind repeating them..."

"Oh, don't be a brat," she muttered, but her voice was watery. "I was so stupid, Jake. I shouldn't have said those things to you. I don't hate you."

"I knew that you didn't hate, Zo," he whispered. "Well, okay... I _hoped_ you didn't hate me," he corrected. "I hoped that you would eventually come back around to realize that I hadn't meant to hurt you. It was the only way I could figure out how to get to know you."

"I understand," she replied, wishing that he would just kiss her already.

"I don't think you do. I was twelve-years-old when we met, Zo. To my mind, the only way to get you to trust me was to lie. And then I was so far in that I couldn't figure out how to dig myself out," he explained. "I planned to tell you. I swear I did. I just wasn't sure when the right time would be. And then I told your brother and he told me that he wouldn't tell you because it was my responsibility to. I couldn't let everyone in your life lie to you, Zoe."

"I wish that you hadn't lied to me," she breathed. "And I wish that you hadn't told my brother before you told me, but I understand. I acted like such a child, I'm almost ashamed of it."

"Almost, huh?"

"I said I'm sorry. Don't expect too much out of me in one day," she muttered. "Will you please just kiss me? Please. It's been a few days," she pointed out.

"Your wish is my command," he breathed against her lips.


	82. Chapter LXXXI

**Author's Note: As promised, the third chapter of the night. I'm so sorry that they're up late. Insomnia keeps me from sleeping for more than an hour or two a night (if that), but that doesn't mean that it doesn't eventually catch up with me. Anyways, I hope you all review and enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXXI**

The entire kingdom of Weselton looked menacing to him. Oh, sure, it was appealing to look upon, the hills green with spring and dotted with wild flowers. The village was bustling with activity, people shouting in the marketplace, children laughing ear the forest line. "Are you scared?" Tobias asked him, leaning forward to rest his elbows against the railing that surrounded the boat. "Being the king while Alexander is out of the country and running your own are two different things, don't you think?" he added when Klaus hadn't said a word in response.

"I've wanted this for a long time," Klaus replied, not wanting anyone to know just how afraid he was of what he was about to do. While he believed that he was supposed to be a ruler, that it was what he'd been placed upon the Earth to do. He'd studied for years, learning about every major battle, the fall of every major empire. He read up about everything to teach himself how to be the best ruler that he could be. If there was one thing that he'd known, it was that an outside ruler was rarely accepted by the country.

If he was going to convince the people of Weselton to let him be their ruler, he was going to have to gain their trust, then their loyalty, and finally, their respect. It would be difficult, he had no veil covering his eyes about that. But if he showed the people, even his brothers, that he was afraid of failing. Alexander had entrusted him with the country, had finally given him the chance to prove himself as a leader. He couldn't fail his King. He couldn't fail his brothers. He couldn't fail Weselton. He just... couldn't fail.

"I'm sure that things will be fine," Klaus said. Elias walked up beside him and clapped him on the back. "When we get to port, I want to gather the men in the courtyard. If we're to succeed as a nation, I want to get the soldiers behind us. Tobias, I want you to find out who the head of the Guards is," he said softly, staring at the land again. It may look like a welcoming country, but to him it was the dog that wagged its tail before it lunged and bit. "Elias, after we talk to the men, I want you to find the castle steward."

"And where are you going?" Elias asked, wondering what his brother had up his sleep.

"Alexander's missive said that the people had been mistreated by the king. I want to go down to the village and the crofters huts to make sure that the people have all that they need," Klaus replied. "If they understand that I'm not like the king that they're used to, then hopefully they'll be more willing to accept me into the fold.

"A man for the people, by the people," Tobias muttered.

"I have a question for the both of you," he said as the ship's captain started calling out orders to bring them to shore. "For our entire lives, we have been thirteen brothers against the rest of the world. But we need to be realistic here. I am here. Alexander will be making a decision about Arendelle and wether or not he wants to stay. We're splintering apart. I don't think that it makes us any weaker. We will always be united by the things that we have gone through together. But I need the two of you to make a decision. Are you wanting to stay with me? Permanently, I mean. I need men that I can trust, at least for a few years while I establish myself and gain loyalty from the men," Klaus explained. "So I'm asking you now: do you stay or do you go?"

"We've always done everything together," Tobias said, leaning forward to look at his twin. "But I'm staying, Eli. We've been in the Southern Isles for so long, I don't think that we should stay there. It's time for a change of pace. We can do that here."

"I agree," Elias muttered. "It's time for a change of pace. And like you said, Klaus, everyone is moving on. Ollie has Emily. Alexander has found his match. The only problem is that we haven't had the chance to visit Zoe. I haven't seen our sister in ten years."

"When we've gotten everything figured out, the two of you can head down to Arendelle and visit her. My reunion will have to wait," Klaus decided. That was what it meant to be a leader. Sacrificing had to be made and things had to be dealt with. Being the ruler, he couldn't always have the things that he wanted. Knowing that Zoe was safe would have to be enough.

The boat bumped a little against the harbor as they came to a stop. People stared at the group as they walked down the boardwalk, through the market and the village, and into the castles courtyard. The keep looked as if it had crumbled. What Klaus couldn't tell was whether it was recent decay or whether it was prolonged neglect of the keep. He frowned as he walked in, trying to decide what it was that he needed to do. He didn't even know the state of the finances for the kingdom.

Not even going inside to meet people, Klaus stopped at the top stair in front of the castle's entrance. "You do not know me!" Klaus shouted. Men who had been mulling around the keep, smoking, drinking, and talking to one another, stopped and stared up at him. They slowly began to congregate around him. "I'm Prince Klaus of the Southern Isles." A murmured grumble went through the crowd as they realized who he was. "I am here to help you, to rebuild what used to be a glorious kingdom. You have been oppressed and crippled by the greed and lust of an old man who couldn't see past his nose to take care of his kingdom. I want us to build the kingdom together. You will not be annexed by the Southern Isles or by Arendelle." He reached up and gripped his patch on his sleeve, the crest that branded him as one of the Southern Isles. Taking a deep breath, hoping that he was making the right decision, Klaus, pulled the stitching from his sleeve. "I firmly believe that the only way for us to continue, is together."

Much to his surprise, many of the soldiers lifted their own weapons in approval of Klaus' message. "Who is the captain?" he called out. The man stepped forward, his hair peppered grey and his face fixed in a scowl. "Tobias." His brother nodded and stepped forward to meet the man and the guards that would be responsible for seeing to his brother's safety.

Tobias talked swiftly to find out who the steward was and direct both his brothers. Once Klaus was sure that Elias had the old, withered man in hand, he started the trek to the crofters hut. They were nestled out in the forest, beyond the fields. Klaus felt that they were too far, but it wasn't exactly something that he could fix. If the people were used to it, there was no reason that they couldn't continue. The forest was dark and full of trees. Somehow, Klaus found the forest more welcoming than the town itself. The village felt like it was a facade, like it was a front for the terribleness that lurked beneath. There was nothing disguising the forest for what it was.

He looked down at the map that his newfound steward had drawn for him. He was standing by the small lake with the waterfall, as described. But no where around him could he find the gathering of huts that he was supposed to see. "King Klaus!" He wheeled around at the shouting of his name. The men thundered up on horseback the daggers flying at him before he could lift his hand to ward off the weapons flying at him.

The dagger flew by his side, penetrating his side and cutting the flesh nearly to the bone. Klaus gasped and staggered back, pressing his hand against his side. "Go home!" the men shouted, wheeling around and leaving him bleeding against a tree trunk. They had done what they'd come to do; they were leaving him there to die. Tobias and Elias weren't expecting him back for hours. Liam and Lucas, who had stayed behind to keep control, were working with the few soldiers who had completely renounced their loyalties to the former king.

Klaus knew that he had to get out of the forest. He had to find someone, anyone, who could get him back to the castle. He shoved himself from the ground and staggered, the wound burning more than he had though that it would. Trees thinned as he stumbled, revealing a trellis with roses winding their way up. A small cabin sat, nestled deep in the forest and so dark, it nearly blended in with the surrounding area. For a brief moment, Klaus thought that he had imagined the building. But when he leaned against it and thumped his fist against the door, he knew that it was real. "What do you want?" an impatient female voice called. The door opened and Klaus knew that he should introduce himself to the woman that he could barely see through the haze.

But instead, he collapsed and rested his weight in the arms that she threw out to hold him up.


	83. Chapter LXXXII

**Author's Note: Order of events for the day. We're going to have the introduction of our new character. We're going to head back to Arendelle for a little Kristoff & Anna fluff. We'll have a chapter of Alexander & Elsa's lovey-dovey romance. And then, depending on what reviews y'all give me, we might even find out about Kayleigh's life story. Also, someone reviewed last night and expressed some confusion about Chapter LXXX last night. So, a brief explanation. While Kayleigh & Jonas were fighting off wolves, Jacob was making sure that they got home safely when he found an unknown assailant (who you will meet tomorrow, most likely). The rest of the brothers and Kristoff rode home, and quickly discovered that their brother was missing. Chapter LXXX happened ****_while_**** Jonas & Kayleigh were fighting, up until they got home, which is where we see Alexander striding to the door. Okay? Okay! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXXII**

Calais heard the slow, steady banging on her front door and frowned. The two princes had sent her home, since she'd been up for nearly five days in her attempt to make things right in the castle. The housekeeper had decided that she wasn't serving men who had been forced upon her. The cook had quit. The steward was doing everything within his considerable power to sabotage the men that had come in. The irony was, no one was truly loyal to the former king of Weselton. They just didn't want to become annexed by another country.

"What do you want?" Calais muttered, Callie to her friends. She pulled the door open and looked at the warrior who stood on the other side, clutching his hand to his side. The man stepped forward, although he acted like his feet weighed a million pounds. His knees buckled under his own weight and he hurdled towards the ground. Callie thrust her hands out to catch him, feeling his entire weight drop into her arms. "What in the heavens…" she trailed off, looking around for a horse or another person or…anyone. "Where did you come from?" she asked him.

The soldier in her arms just grunted and pillowed his head on her chest. She took a step back and dragged him with her, huffing with the force that was required of him. She was a tall woman, but nothing compared to the man who had staggered to her door. He outweighed her by so much, she was struggling just to stay standing. "You know, you could be a little more helpful," she grumbled to him, heaving him back another step. He mumbled something underneath his breath, but she couldn't hear him, so she just continued to drag him back into her home.

The house was little more than a cottage. It had no real rooms, just one large open area that Callie had sectioned off into the different areas. Her bed was hung by thick ropes against the single floor-length window and served as her sitting area for guests. A chamber pot was hidden in a far, dark corner that few saw. Her kitchen table doubled as her counter space and eating area when she chose to sit at the table. The fireplace roared to ward away the spring chill, a single armchair sitting in front of it alongside all the books.

Seeing the amount of blood that was leaking from the man's wound, Callie chose not to put him in her own bed. At least, not until she figured out how to stop his bleeding. "The men who took over everything took our healer with them," she told him, though he didn't seem to hear her. His toes were practically dragging against the floor as Calais gently lowered him to the ground, grabbing her pillow from her bed to tuck it beneath his head. "So, you'll have to settle for me. I'm not a healer, but I can stitch."

He groaned and tossed his head as Callie tried to figure out what to do next. She didn't know anything about herbs, roots, and plants that could be used to hep him sleep or keep him sedated. She didn't know how to keep the pain from gnawing at him from the inside out. She just needed him to be unconscious while she stitched his wound closed. She gently prodded his side, hoping to see just how sensitive he was. "Don't touch me, devil," he grumbled, wincing when she pressed her finger to his wound.

"I could take a frying pan and knock you upside the head," she muttered to herself. "That would keep you unconscious." She looked around the small space of her home, seriously considering beating the man with a frying pan. "A goose egg to the head can't hurt you more than that little scratch on your side." Her gaze fell on a bottle of alcohol that was sitting on the counter. She'd been planning to give it to the new king when he arrived in Weselton. The former king had torn her away from everything that she'd ever known and banished her when she hadn't given him what she wanted. She'd wanted to make a good impression on the new king, to see herself welcomed back by the people who had been forced to shun her.

The man was bleeding profusely and needed to be stitched if she was going to keep him alive. "Probably going to leave a bloodstain on my carpet," she grumbled as she pushed to her feet and grabbed the bottle of whiskey. Her father had told her about wound care when he'd been a soldier in the field. The men had consumed alcohol in order to make them feel less of the pain. "As long as you don't bleed out before I can help you," she added to herself, bringing the bottle back to the man's side.

Callie slid her arm beneath his head and propped him up, flopping his head against her shoulder to give him some support. "Come on," she coaxed, lightly slapping his cheeks until his eyelids fluttered a little. "There now. I need you to drink down some of this horrid liquid. I can't help you until you drink the vile stuff," she commanded, tipping the bottle's opening to his lips and pouring a little bit down his throat. The man in her arms coughed and sputtered, trying to dispel the liquid but she wouldn't let him. "I know it's disgusting."

"So tempting," he grumbled when she finally pulled away a little. He turned his face into her chest, feeling the soft warmth of her pillowing his cheek. "Are you poisoning me, demon?" he asked her.

"Not that the idea isn't tempting," she retorted, lowering him back to the pillow. "I'm actually trying to help you, you great fool." He was weak as a newborn kitten, between the pain and the alcohol she'd force-fed him. She gathered the supplies necessary for stitching the wound in his side and sterilized the needle. Using her shears from her kitchen, she cut his shirt away from his chest and rubbed as much blood away from the wound as she could before pulling it through his skin. He shouted at her, informed her that she was the devil's own daughter, told her that she would regret ever allowing him to come to harm. She heard something about his brothers coming after him and her paying for his pain. She ignored him entirely, smacking his hand away whenever he tried to grab hold of her wrist and stop her. "It burns, you evil witch!" he cursed her.

"Aye, I'm sure it does," she muttered in response.

Calais finished the line of even stitching on the man's side, despite the fact that he demanded her very death because of the pain. She folded another cloth and pressed it against his newly stitched wound, wishing that she knew something about alleviating pain to help him sleep. She took a piece of binding to keep the bandage against his side, ignoring his continued litany of hatred. "There now," she said quietly, tucking her single blanket around his shoulders. "Sleep now, sir. I'm sure that the family coming to kill me will be glad I at least stitched you up before they do," she told him, brushing hair away from his face.

He was a beautiful looking man, though she would never let anyone she'd even thought it. His hair was cropped short on the sides, the top long enough that it flopped over on his forehead. His cheekbones were high and define, offset by a thick pair of lips that were moving constantly in his attempt to make her fear him. "Too bad that you're here in Weselton," she muttered as she pushed to her feet and started putting things away before she made the man more comfortable on her floor. "You'll probably attract some girl who hasn't been banished to the witch's cottage." It was easier to be angry about it than it was to dwell about how alone she was. It was the exact reason that she offered to do everything in the kingdom. She was cooking, she was cleaning, she was acting as a healer for all those who needed it. What Calais wanted more than anything was to be welcomed back around people once again. She was tired of being alone.

"Here, warrior," she said, kneeling down again and wishing that she knew his name. "Some water will make you feel better." She tipped the tin cups to his lips and dribbled some icy water into his mouth. He sighed when he swallowed, undoubtedly enjoying the wash of alcohol from his mouth.

"Heaven," he sighed,

"Oh, now I'm from heaven?" she asked him, amused by the soft whisper. "You are a daft man; I hope you know that. It'd surprise me if you really have any family at all. You maybe just conjured them all up in your mind." Checking him one last time, Callie stood and went about her day, doing all that needed to be done around her house, regularly stepping over the man in her living room. She gave him water throughout the day, but other than grumble at her, he never said much. The moon was high in the sky, shining over his sweat drenched forehead when she finally took to her own bed, feeling it swing beneath her. "Good night, warrior," she muttered, clutching her blankets to her chest.


	84. Chapter LXXXIII

**Author's Note: As promised, a little fluff (no bleeding people!). We have a fluffy Elsa & Alexander chapter next. And then, if you all ****_really_**** want the next chapter and review like crazy, I could be tempted to put up the chapter that gives you Kayleigh's full backstory. **

**Housekeeping stuff: Calais' name is pronounced like the city in France (cal-ay). There's a reason for that. The last thing that I want to do is give you a brief rundown of the Southern Isles princes, their locations, and any pairings they may have (as requested).**

Alexander: with Elsa in Arendelle  
Liam & Lucas: in Weselton (but will be traveling shortly)  
Klaus: in Weselton  
Nick & Noah: reeking havoc in Arendelle  
Sebastian: in Arendelle  
Tobias & Elias: in Weselton  
Christian: in the Southern Isles  
Oliver: with Emily in the Southern Isles  
Jonas: with Kayleigh in Arendelle  
Hans: ...

**I think I got everyone. Okay... Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXXIII**

Kristoff was honestly trying to be supportive of his new wife. He had never had siblings, only Sven and the trolls that he been born when he'd been younger. After Elsa's injuries and the pain that she'd been forced to endure just to get the arrowhead removed, Kristoff tried to be understanding of Anna's need to take care of her sister. In fact, for the two weeks after her infection surgery, the blond ice master almost pushed his wife to take care of her sister. He said nothing when she didn't come back to their chamber or when she did, only to crash on their bed before she could even give him a kiss goodnight.

Nearly two weeks had passed, though, and nothing had changed. Elsa was on the mend and in blissful happiness with Alexander. Zoe was figuring things out with Jacob, not that Kristoff really cared about either one of them. Well...he did care about them, but he wasn't invested in their relationship. His family, for the moment, consisted of his wife and her sister. He only really cared about their happiness. And, unfortunately, he was getting a little impatient with his petite wife.

He waited the rest of the day for everything to calm down after Nick and Noah's little prank before he approached his wife. "Anna," he called softly into the depths of Elsa's room. Alexander was sitting in the far corner of the room, reading a book in a small armchair, letting the two girls chat away on the bed. Kristoff stepped inside, looking at his wife and sister-in-law laughing away as they munched on some form of chocolate. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Elsa, but I was wondering if I could kidnap Anna for a moment or two." Or a few hours.

"Can't it wait, Kristoff? Elsa and I were going to talk about the wedding ceremony. She was just saying that since we..." Kristoff crossed the room and looked down at her with slightly pleading eyes.

"I think that the two of us need to talk," he said as softly as he could, hoping that she would hear him and come without a fight. He should've known better.

"But there are things hat need to be dealt with here, Kristoff. There's flowers and food and -"

"Go and hang out with your husband, Anna," Elsa said with a little laugh, shoving her little sister's shoulder's. "I'm sure that Alexander can keep me company for a few hours." The King looked up from his book and smiled devilishly at the queen sitting on the bed. "Besides, you should probably go and get some rest and some food. You're not taking care of yourself, Anna."

Not wanting to give her a chance to tell him no, Kristoff rushed forward, plucked his little wife from the bed and carted her out of the room. "Hey!" she shouted. "Kristoff, wait! Elsa and I were... There are other things... Kristoff!"

He didn't stop his forward motion, even though Anna was shouting at him. He was torn between wanting to throw her on their bed and lock her in the chamber with him, and the desire to throw her onto Sven's back and go find somewhere where they two of them could be assured privacy. Settling for their room, he kicked the door open and strode inside, gently placing Anna on her feet once again. She fought against the skirt of her dress that had managed to trap her legs and then whirled on him, her eyes blazing fire. "We are married! That does not give you the right to drag me out of my sister's room. It's a partnership, not a dictatorship."

"And in order for it to be a partnership, we kind of have to be together," Kristoff retorted. Anna crossed her arms over her chest, her hip popped to one side as she glared dangerously at him. "I've tried to be understanding and supportive of things that have been going on with you and Elsa. I know that you want a relationship with your sister again, but I want a relationship with you." Her eyes softened a touch, her arms dropping to her side. Kristoff stepped up and gripped her upper arms. "I love you, Anna, which is why I have been trying to help you take care of your sister. But I miss my wife." Her lips twitched a little. "Stay with me, Anna. You and I can have dinner in this room and enjoy each other's company for a little while. We haven't talked in days. I promise, tomorrow, I will go back to helping you protect your sister and all of that. But please, just give me today."

Anna didn't think she'd ever heard a more heartfelt speech in her entire life. She threw herself at him and pressed her lips against his, mashing their mouths together. She ran her hands up his neck in his hair, pulling the ever-present beanie from his head. "I've missed you, too," she whispered when Kristoff's hands fitted to her waist and lifted her off her feet again. He spun her around like he had the first time that he'd ever kissed her. "Could we have chocolate for dessert?" she asked him when he literally threw her against the bed, sending her into a fit of giggles.

"Anna, we can have whatever you'd like," he promised her before flopping down on the bed beside her. "How are things with you and Elsa?" he asked softly.

"I thought you weren't wanting to talk about my sister," Anna asked with a frown.

"No; I just wanted to talk to you again. I miss you," he explained. "Now, tell me about things between the two of you. I know that you were worried about not getting the chance to really reconnect with her."

"I think we're doing okay," she whispered. Having hoped that things would go his way, Kristoff had ordered dinner brought to their chamber. "Some days, she acts like she did when we were kids. And then there are days where she acts like she wants to shut me out again. I almost think that she would, too, if Alexander wasn't there. He seemed to have a way to make her calm down a little."

Kristoff looked at her, expecting to see a smile on her face. It was rare that Anna wasn't grinning or laughing about something. "Are you jealous of Alexander, Anna?" he asked, a small chuckle entering his voice at the idea. Anna was Elsa's sister. She could never be replaced by Alexander.

"I don't know how I can't be," Anna admitted softly. "I feel like she'd rather be around him than she would me. There are days where I think that we're so close and she wants to have the relationship that we used to have and then she does something like kick me out. I feel like I'm being replaced by some big, hulking man with a crown."

"And I'm sure that Elsa might have felt that she was being replaced when you and I started hanging out," Kristoff tired.

"Hardly. When you and I started hanging out, she was secluded on the North Mountain and didn't care about anyone around her," Anna muttered, her voice a little dejected. "I know that I have to find a way to show her that I care without smothering her to death."

"Then care while you smother me to death, Anna," Kristoff said, pulling her into a tight embrace and wrapping his arms around her. "This is what is supposed to happen. You and I have each other. Elsa and Alexander have each other. It doesn't change the fact that your her sister. It won't stop her from coming to you and relying on you for certain things, but it does change the roles you guys take in each other's lives. When everything in your world is falling apart, I hope you know that you can rely on me to help put things back together. I can't promise that I'll always understand what you're thinking or feeling, but I can promise that I'll always try," he vowed softly.

"You're supposed to be the person who doesn't understand humans, remember? You lived with trolls and a reindeer. You're not supposed to be this smart," she grumbled against his chest. Kristoff gently tipped her chin back so he could kiss her full on the lips, taking hold of her mouth with his. He warmed her from the very core of her body, melted her from the inside out. He left her feeling like everything would work out, not matter how things were between her and Elsa. Everything would be fine, so long as she had this man by her side.

Bracing her hands on his chest, she pushed a little and forced him away. "You know, you kind of smell," she told him, bringing a frown to his soft, chocolate brown eyes. She bit her lip, feeling suddenly shy. They were married. It wasn't as if anything that they did could be considered wrong. But she'd never been quite so bold before. The idea was intriguing and, at the same time, terrifying. Fiddling with her fingers, she looked down at the bedspread and took a deep breath before looking into his eyes. "Maybe we should take a bath."


	85. Chapter LXXXIV

**Author's Note: As promised, here's the fluff from Elsa & Alexander. A crazy number of reviews will get you all the chapter about Kayleigh's back story. Okay? Okay. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXXIV**

Alexander feigned patience while he waited for Kristoff to drag his screaming wife out of the chamber. Only once the door had shut securely into his latch did he throw the book he'd been pretending to read aside and lunge onto the bed. Elsa's giggles rained down over him when the mattress bounced a little from his weight. He gathered her close and pressed every line of her soft, curvy body against his side, rolling the two of them so that Alexander was sprawled on his back and Elsa's head was tucked into the hollow beneath his shoulder.

"Now, my Queen, what do you suggest that the two of us do today?" he asked her, watching her nose wrinkle in disgust at the formal title. "Oh come on! I didn't call you _Queen Elsa._ I called you _my Queen_ and that is exactly what you are." He kissed the tip of her nose, receiving yet another frown from her. In the days since she'd started her official recovery, Alexander had been so tender and cautious with her. He'd held her close every night and kissed her until she thought her head might spin from the feel of his mouth on hers.

But that was all he'd done. No matter how much Elsa had tried to get him to do anything more, Alexander always put a stop to things. He always carefully tucked her into her bed, making certain that she wasn't in any pain before she'd done so. Using his chest as her leverage, Elsa pushed herself up and leaned over him to kiss him. Her wounds had healed enough to where Kayleigh had removed the stitches, but now, they were scabbed over and itched terribly. Alexander rested his hand on her lower back, where her spine dipped before rising to the swell of her backside. Elsa's palms were flat against the mattress on either side of his face as she kissed him. "Elsa," Alexander warned, using his free hand to push her away.

"I am _not_ a china doll; you do know that right?" she asked him, still leaning over him, her hair cascading like a white waterfall over his chest. "I got hit by an arrow. I'm not dead." Alexander shocked her by rolling her over and pressing her gently into the mattress, hoping that he wasn't hurting her.

"You got hit by _two_ arrows, first of all," he told him, resting all of his weight against one forearm. He cupped her cheek in his free hand, cupping her precious face in his one palm. "I want you to heal before you strain yourself, Elsa. You're still on the mend," he breathed, brushing his thumb over her cheekbone and lower temple, leaning down to rub his nose against hers before he kissed her lightly. "Besides, there's something that we need to talk about, love." She frowned when he settled himself on his side, leaning over her and looking down at her with love shimmering in his eyes.

"You know that I love you, right?" he asked her, his eyes still serious.

"I know that I love you," she replied, worried that if she told him how confused she was about his love, it would only anger him. She wasn't sure she would ever understand what it was about her that enticed him so. He loved her, she wasn't trying to say that he didn't. She wouldn't question his love, just like she wouldn't expect him to question hers. What she questioned was the _why_. He was a king. He could have any number of women falling over him and he'd chosen her.

"I do love you, Elsa," he breathed, wondering why she couldn't grasp it. "I love your courage and strength and selflessness and passion and kindness… I could keep going, love, but we'd be here all day." She smiled at him a little, wanting to keep him close and get to her ultimate goal. "But there's something that I really need to talk to you about, Elsa. Seriously." She frowned at the fall in his tone. "I love you and I'm not going to be apart from you ever again," he said, licking his lips nervously. "Elsa…I'm not…I'm not going back to the Southern Isles unless you go with me." Her eyes went a little wider as she stared at him, unsure what she was supposed to say about the statement.

"I'm not asking you to give up your kingdom. I'm not even asking you to give up your title. I'll give up everything to be with you Elsa. I've doe nothing but think about this since you got hurt; hell, since before that. I'll admit, things would've been a little easier if Klaus hadn't gone to Weselton. I ordered him there, though, because I knew that he would be best for those people. But Liam would be a good leader. He could lead the Southern Isles."

"I can't ask you to give up your kingdom, Alexander," Elsa said, her brows furrowed and her voice a little shocked. "That wouldn't be right. Your brothers need you. You belong in the Southern Isles."

"I belong with _you_, Elsa," he replied. "Whether we're here or in the Southern Isles or in the middle of the Frozen Sea, I don't care. I belong with you. I want to marry you, Elsa. I want you to sit beside me every day for the rest of my life. I want you to tell me that I'm not being understanding enough of my sister. I want you to call me an oaf whenever I start trying to do to much. I want daughters with your beauty who will drive me crazy trying to fight men off. I want sons who are as stubborn as you and have your sense of morals. I want kids who have parents who know that any powers that they have a gifts, not burdens to be hidden. I don't care where we have that. If it's here or in the Southern Isles; I don't care. But I'm not leaving you again."

"And what about your brothers? Don't you think that I'd want any kids we had to know their uncles? How would that happen if we were spread out over the three kingdoms? I ca't ask you to give up what you have with your brothers. They love you, Alex, and you love them. So what if Klaus is in Weselton? It doesn't mean that you won't see him."

"It won't just be him, Elsa. Klaus will need men that he can trust. Liam and Lucas are supposed to head back to the Southern Isles the second that he arrives in Weselton. Christian and Oliver are alone there and probably struggling to hold everything together. They don't like being in the spotlight," he muttered. "Liam's the leader when me and Klaus aren't around. He knows the Southern Isles better than anyone that you've ever met, almost better than me."

"I can't tear you away from your family," she insisted.

"You _are_ my family," he growled. "You and Anna and my brothers and Kristoff and Zoe and even Jacob. Hell, I'll throw Kayleigh into the mix if I have to. Being apart from them doesn't make them less of my family. But you're my family, too, love; and you're the one that I can't be away from. I can survive without seeing Klaus every day. I can survive without Anna pestering me. But I cannot live another minute if you're not by my side." It was everything that she'd wanted to hear and yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that it would be too much to be without her. "Don't do that," he whispered, kissing her cheeks, her forehead, her nose, everything but her lips. "Don't pull away from me, Elsa. I won't change my mind. I _love_ you. I like Arendelle. I love your sister. The two of us have made it through impossible odds, Elsa. You survived an injury that has killed most warriors twice your size. If that's not a sign that we are supposed to be together, what else is?"

"I'm not saying that we're supposed to be together, Alexander. I just don't want you to make a decision that you'll regret. You may not regret it tomorrow, or next year, but you'll regret it eventually. You won't want me forever."

"Yes, I will. I will always want you, but that's not the point, love," he kissed her again, dragging her on top of him and feasting on her sweetness. Elsa shuddered, feeling herself losing control. He felt so wonderful, his arms wrapped around her, his mouth pressed against hers, his hair twining through her fingers. The ice crawled around the bed, the snow falling lightly above them. Elsa pulled away from him, looking up at the snow that was drifting down in light flurries.

"Sorry," she whispered. Love was supposed to thaw. Although, it wasn't _love_ she was feeling at the moment. "I didn't mean to make it snow."

He shrugged and rolled her beneath him, the snow falling against his shirt this time. "The cold never bothered me anyway," he muttered before distracting her from her giggles.


	86. Chapter LXXXV

**Author's Note: By popular demand, tomorrow will be a day full of Elsa & Alexander. Also, if you have a distinct feeling about my putting a mature chapter up, please let me know. Good or bad, I'm basically taking a pole. Okay? Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXXV**

Jonas dragged Kayleigh directly up to his room, knowing that it wasn't at all appropriate but worried that she may just turn and run away if he left her alone. He pulled her into the room and slammed the door shut behind the both of them, hoping to get the chance to pull her close again, like he had in the forest. Well, preferably, minus to wolves this time. He couldn't explain the need he had for her, couldn't explain the desire that was nearly overwhelming him. He wanted her like he had never wanted another person before.

Kayleigh tugged out of the semi-embrace and turned to look at him, her eyes narrowed as she glared at him. She pointed distinctly to the bed, frowning at him. The way is thoughts were heading, though, Kayleigh demanding that he crawl up on the bed wasn't helping him control everything roiling within him. "I'm just fine, lass," he assured her. "It's just a little scratch. Hardly more than a bite mark," he added when she shook her head. She jabbed her finger at the bed once again and then made a sewing motion with her fingers. "I highly doubt that it needs stitches, but if it will make you feel better…"

He crawled up on the bed and sprawled on his stomach, trying to ignore the thundering of his heart. He felt the mattress slowly take her weigh as she crawled up on the bed and lifted the scraps of what used to be his shirt. Kayleigh frowned to herself, staring at the deep puncture wounds, the dark blood seeping form them, the scratch makes on either side, where they'd pinned his body down. He'd gone through great lengths just to keep her safe. She'd never known anything like that.

She tapped his shoulder and waited for him to look at her, motioning for him to take his shirt off. The stitching wouldn't take over long. What would take a while was the cleaning, but after he'd risked his life to save hers, she could offer him nothing less. She worked as swiftly as she was able, thinking that she would need to make him a salve before she bound him up. She didn't want to risk an infection to him. Well, to anyone; not just to Jonas. Her desire to keep him safe was because he was a patient.

Kayleigh softly tapped his shoulder again when she was finished and motioned for him to pull his shirt back on. When he struggled to lift his arm into the sleeve, she reached forward to help him, feeling the muscles ripple beneath her fingertips as he moved. So much strength, and yet, he never tried to hurt her. He never even handled her roughly. Jonas turned around to face her, his eyes determined and hard. "Now it's your turn," he said simply, reaching for her hand to bring her onto the bed.

She shook her head so swiftly, Jonas was surprised the bones holding her neck didn't snap. "Kayleigh, you have a wound, too. You just spent nearly an hour cleaning out my wound, which tells me that you are worried about an infection," he said softly. "Please let me help you." She shook her head again, a single tear sliding down her cheek. "Oh, lass, please don't cry." He reached for her, glad to see that she didn't recoil from rushed the tear away from her face. "I promise that I won't hurt you. I just want to make sure that you're not in any danger. Nothing improper will happen. If you just take the, uh… that is, remove your um…" He gestured to her bodice a little, his cheeks tingeing pink. "I won't do anything but clean it, lass. Okay?" Seeing that he wouldn't back down, hoping that he was telling the truth, Kayleigh laid herself down on the bed and allowed Jonas to help her from her bodice enough that he could clearly see the wound.

But it wasn't the wound that bothered him. It was the lines, the thick white scars that mapped her back. Some scars were thinner than others, evidence that a different weapon had been used upon her skin. Her tears flowed steadily down her cheeks as she felt his hands dabbing cloths against her skin. Kayleigh knew what he was seeing. She knew that he was probably asking himself what she'd done to receive the punishments that the scars told of. Maybe she should just tell him. It wasn't like he could treat her any worse than the other people she'd known in her life. Feeling his hands brushing softly over her skin brought back every memory, every touch that she was constantly fighting against.

Jonas felt her shake, jump, pull away from him every time that he brushed his hand against her bare skin. He heard her whimper and cry. He could practically hear the tears splattering against the sheets as they dripped off her nose. He pressed the gauze against her skin and bound the ties over her shoulder to keep it in place and capture any residual bleeding. When he finished, he tapped her shoulder, as she had done him and helped her sit up. She clung to her bodice to keep it from falling while he draped a blanket around her shoulders. "Kayleigh…If I asked you a question—"

She pointed to his temple, telling him that she already knew what he was going to ask her. Kayleigh folded her legs beneath and clutched the edges of the blanket together. She looked at the mattress, wondering how she could find the words to tell him what had happened to her. She'd never told anyone. Jonas watched her shake, waited patiently for her to say something. After nearly ten minutes, he reached out and gently grasped her chin. Kayleigh jumped a little, pulling away from him, but he just waited for her to look at him. "Please tell me what happened to you, Kayleigh. I promise that I will take care of you. I won't let anyone hurt you again. But I can't protect you from things that I don't know about."

She shook her head, but Jonas had learned the difference between her telling him no and her negating something he'd said. She drew her thumb across her throat. "They're dead? The men who hurt you are dead?" She nodded, shook her head, nodded again and then made a writing motion. "Sure. Give me a moment," he whispered, standing to gather the things that she'd asked for. Well…sort of asked for. Their fingers brushed against each other as she took the pen and paper and began scribbling on the parchment. Jonas just waited, holding the inkwell for her to make sure it didn't spill on his bed. Kayleigh finished the first part of her tale and couldn't wait any longer to watch him read it. Taking a deep breath, she handed him the piece of paper.

Jonas took the parchment and capped the well, resting it on the column that held the footboard in place and looked at the paper. _I was five when I went deaf. I caught some kind of sickness. I had a rash and and a fever. I was so violently ill, my parents didn't know what to do. The healer made me a draft to help me sleep. I don't know how long I was asleep, but when I woke up, I couldn't hear anymore._ How terrible that must have been. Jonas couldn't imagine waking up and having lost one of his senses entirely. She must have been terrified. He couldn't imagine a young Kayleigh waking up, terrified, lost, and without hearing.

_My parents said that it was a curse. I was paying for some sin or another that I had committed. They said that I'd done something to deserve what had happened to me._ "But you were a child!" he practically shouted at her. "What could you have possibly done, Kayleigh? Did you steal a cookie from the cookie jar?" Her lips twitched as she pulled her legs up to her chest instead and wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin there. _My parents didn't want me anymore. My mother was a religious fanatic. She believed that my deafness was a sign that I was nothing but trouble. They cried the healer a demon, since it was her that had made me deaf. My mother wanted me gone, but my father…he wanted to get something from me, get something __for__ me._

_He sold me._

The paper stopped there. There were no more words, nothing more for him to read. "Your father sold you?" he asked for clarification. She nodded, biting the inside of her cheek. "To who?" She put her hands on either side of her head again. "The King of Weselton?" She nodded again. "Why?" She scribbled on another piece of paper and handed it to him.

_He liked little girls. Before me, there was another one, but she got to be too old for him. She was banished before I was bought. My parents left me with him. I was to do whatever he wanted me to do. And when I didn't…when I didn't, I was whipped, burned, slashed, anything they could do to hurt me. They brought Zoe in when I was eight. She was six, the right age for the King. He stopped caring about us when we were twelve. I couldn't let Zoe go through the same thing._

There was a missing line. She'd skipped, clearly. Not wanting to tell him about the things that she'd endured. _When he was done with me, he threw me to the rest of the men. I was there's to do whatever they wanted. If they weren't happy, they beat me. _"So why did the other girl get banished?" he asked. She just shrugged. She honestly didn't know anything about the other girl who had endured the same torture that she had. "You're the reason Zoe didn't know pain, aren't you?"

_Zoe knew pain. She just didn't know rape. I wouldn't wish that on anyone else. _

"Who raised you, lass?" he asked then. Her parents hadn't been worth the burlap cloths they'd sat on, but someone had taught her right from wrong.

_The healer, Maria. She took me in, healed me after each beating, taught me everything that she'd known about the healing arts. When she died a few years ago, I became the healer. The rapes slowed then. Men were afraid that if something happened to them, I wouldn't do my job. But there were always a few of them that still thought that they could get away with it._

"So…so, you had shit parents, protected my sister, and _still_ took care of the men that hurt you?" he asked her. Kayleigh wasn't able to keep herself from crying any longer. Jonas couldn't stand the sight of it. Her tears practically burned him, as if he could feel them on his own cheeks. He swiftly pulled her into his chest and tucked her carrot-orange hair beneath his chin while she sobbed. She wasn't quiet. Her breath shook with each inhale and exhale. She clung to him, not even caring about the way that her bodice gaped at her breasts. Jonas didn't care either.

He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. She had known such a terrible life, had been forced to deal with things that no one should ever have to deal with, never mind a child as young as she was. Her tears stung his neck as she sobbed, her body wracked with heart wrenching pain. "I'll never let another thing hurt you again, Kayleigh," he told her, even knowing that she couldn't hear him. He needed to say the words, needed to have them voiced. "I'll keep you safe, lass. I promise."


	87. Chapter LXXXVI

**Author's Note: You guys have this chapter and one more to review about mature chapters. I have an idea in mind that I think I might go for, but let me know what you would like! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXXVI**

Elsa watched the moon grow fainter in the sky. The sun would be rising any moment, removing the silver grey that dotted the sky and replacing it with the pink and orange that came with day. It was almost like looking at pictures of herself and Anna side by side. Anna was everything happy and light and bubbly, everything associated with daylight. Elsa was the night, dark, mysterious, black, and frightening. People weren't afraid of the day, but they shuddered at the idea of being trapped within. Elsa had always been afraid of that darkness.

But with Alexander, she found…light…within the dark. The night wasn't something to be afraid of. Night was when she and Alexander were guaranteed to be undisturbed, where she could explore all the things her mind hadn't even been sure were possible. She had grown to love the night and despise the day. The day was when Alexander had to distance himself from her, if only the slightest bit for propriety's sake. She hated the day, when she couldn't lounge in bed with him and make up silly mutterings and limericks with him.

Elsa ran a hand over his bare chest, rubbing her cheek against his skin. A fine blanket of snow covered them both. She knew that she should make it melt away, mostly to keep Alexander warm, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. It was peaceful, surrounded by the ice and wrapped up in his warm embrace. He was warmth. He was everything that she'd never believed herself to be, but he showed her that she was. Or, at least, that she could be. She tilted her head back to look at hi in the glittering moonlight, to stare at the serene smile on his face.

Alexander had curled one arm tight about her waist, his hand resting on her hip while his other was flopped gracelessly over his head. Her one arm was trapped in the space between them, the feeling gone from it entirely. But, with her other, she drew lazy circles over his chest, scrawled out her name alongside his, pretended that they were already married. She sighed, pressing her cheek more firmly against his chest, thinking over his words only a few hours earlier. Could she really let him give up everything? Even the things that his father had spent years building?

It didn't seem right that he should have to give up everything for her. Relationships were supposed to be about give and take. But if she took _everything_ from him and didn't give in return…what would that mean for their relationship? She looked up at his smooth brow, at the hard planes of his face, at the slight smile that tweaked his lips. He didn't seem at all perturbed about the fact that he was willing to give her everything in the world, the sun, the moon, all its stars. He wanted her. However little sense it made, it was what he wanted.

His arm tightened around her and he inhaled a sudden breath, rolling his head towards her and reached down to grasp her arm in his hand. He blinked, one lid a little slower than the others. His lips turned down in a frown for a moment, a shiver running through his body. "You must be cold," Elsa whispered. She placed her palm over his heart, feeling the steady thump beneath her hand. The snow lifted off the bed and formed a snowflake over their heads, dissipating into the air.

Alexander hummed in the back of his throat as he watched the snowflake form and disappear. It would never cease to amaze him, the power that the girl wielded. He remembered a time when she was afraid to do more than protect herself with her abilities. And now…well, now she was the woman that she was always meant to be. "Good morning," he muttered, turning his body so that he could face her a little more. "I guess it's not quite morning, yet," he added, looking up at the sky. It was nearly the same color as the sheets Elsa had made on the bed.

Elsa attempted to push herself onto one elbow so she could be in control for a moment. But the blood flow had been gone for so long, she stood no chance. The entire arm was asleep and collapsed the second that she'd pushed herself upright, causing her to thump against his chest. Alexander groaned as her entire weight came crashing down on him, but it quickly turned to a chuckle. "I'd say you pretty much failed at that attempt," he muttered laughingly, stroking his hand up and down her arm. Elsa buried her face in his side to hide her embarrassment.

"I was thinking about last night," she breathed, trying to think of a way to broach the subject again, without his insisting that sacrificing everything for her was the right was to go.

Alexander looked down at the disheveled mass of hair that hung around her face. The side that had been lying against his chest was flat, practically slicked to her face. The other half had exploded into a mass of curls so voluminous, he was surprised that it didn't touch her canopy top. In the dawn light, he could see the beautiful colors of her hair. To most, it looked white, but he saw the blue, the silver, even the strands that were so dark they were practically black. She was a mess, a raging mess. And she was easily the most adorable person that he'd ever seen. "Yeah, I was thinking about the same thing," he told her, running his hand through the hair that tangled about his fingertips.

"Not that, you rogue!" she practically shouted at him. "I was talking about you moving to Arendelle." The serene grin on his face dropped immediately. "You don't have to look at me like I said that I shot your favorite horse," she added, curling her fingers into a fist and thumping it against his chest to shake him out of his little mood. "I was just thinking about what would be best. You know…for everyone."

"You can't be selfish for a moment in your life, can you?" he asked her, tucking one of the strands behind her ear. "As long as the two of us are together, Elsa, I don't care. Although, I will admit that the boat on the middle of the Frozen Sea may have been a stretch. I don't know if I could quite handle that."

"Oh, come on," she said with a smile on her face. "I enjoy the cold and I've never really been able to travel much. What with the gates being closed because of me."

"The gates were closed because of _your parents_, not because of you, love," he growled, tugging her closer. "What were you thinking about, Elsa?"

"Is it right of me to ask you to give up everything that you've had there?"

"We have this argument last night," he warned her.

"No, no; I know that we did," she said, patting his chest. "But I was just…" She bit her lip a little and wrinkled her nose. "I can't help but think about how happy I was in the Southern Isles. I mean, not when you'd been burned of course. You were a miserable human being."

"Please, go on; I'm feeling overwhelmed with flattery," he said flatly.

"I'm just saying, Alex, I enjoyed the Southern Isles. It was nice there," she whispered. "People there knew me, but they didn't hate me. I felt welcome there. And you _belong_ there, Alexander. I've seen you; I've seen it. That is your country. Arendelle may be the place that you feel welcome, but it's not your home."

"But it is yours," he whispered. "You've lived here your entire life, Elsa. I can't drag you from that. You've said yourself: you haven't had the chance to travel."

"I also told you that you're my home," she said. "I know that I was out of it, but I clearly remember saying that. You said that you don't care where we were as long as we were together."

"I mean that, love; you have to believe that."

"I do, Alexander, but I have an idea that I think might work for the two of us," she whispered. Alexander's brows drew together as he stared at her. "You're my home, Alex, but I am not yours." He opened his mouth to dispute the statement, but she pressed on. "I'm not saying that you don't love me, Alexander, or that I don't think you want to be with me. I'm just saying that you had the chance to grow and love the Southern Isles. I don't have that kind of connection to Arendelle."

"You want me to go back to the Southern Isles?"

"I want _us_ to go back to the Southern Isles," she replied.

"Then who is going to run Arendelle, Elsa? Your sister isn't ready for that responsibility. Kristoff doesn't know how to do this kind of stuff," he demanded.

"You," she replied.


	88. Chapter LXXXVII

**Author's Note: Someone reviewed and talked about how I usually get an early morning chapter out, and then you all have to wait. The early chapter is usually the one I wrote at like one or two in the morning. The reason you guys have to wait is because I've then gone to school and you have to wait for my break between classes, or between work and school. I know that it sucks, but the good news is that I'm finished on May 9th and we have a few days before I start my summer job. :P**

**The votes are in. The decision is (mostly) final. There's a lot of different things that come into play with this story. I mean, my fiancé calls it "Frozen for adults." But one of the things that I think is unique to this story is the ****_lack_**** of explicit sexuality in the story. There are illusions to things, things left to your bedeviled minds. That being said, THERE WILL NOT BE A MATURE CHAPTER. Now, hold on and listen for a moment. I ****_really_**** want to write a few of them (because I have my own bedeviled mind). So, I will be introducing ****_Beware the Smoldering Heart_**** either tonight or tomorrow. It will basically be a series of one shots for the various couples. It will be rated M and have all the things that some of us are wanting. I'm hoping that, read in conjuncture with this story, it will add depth for those who want it, while preserving what this story is for those who want that. Okay? **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXXVII**

"I'm sorry, my ears must be stuffed with some feathers from last night or something. You want _me_ to rule both Arendelle and the Southern Isles _while_ we're in the Southern Isles?" Alexander asked, looking at her as if she'd lost her mind. "Maybe we should go over geography for a moment here." He picked up a pillow from the bed and threw it across the room, watching it smack one of the large windows and smack to the ground. "Okay, that is the Southern Isles. Wait, that's the closest island of the Southern Isles. And we are Arendelle. So...you're going have to explain to me where we can rule both Arendelle and the Southern Isles; because I just don't see it."

"That's because you're not thinking about it the way that I am," Elsa replied, rolling over to get out of bed and start dressing for the day. "If we stayed in Arendelle, let Liam take control of things in the Southern Isles, what would happen?"

"Why are you getting out of bed?" he groaned like a child, flopping himself on the bed.

"Liam would still do things that were going to benefit the three countries, Arendelle, the Southern Isles, and Weselton. Just like Klaus will still do things that will best benefit all three of us. Why not make Arendelle a part of the Southern Isles? We could go home to the Southern Isles and travel back and forth throughout the year. It's only five days. And I've gotten much better at being on the boat. I didn't throw up on the way to Weselton or on the way home."

"You were unconscious on the way home!" he muttered in outrage. "Doesn't count."

"Fine, but I still didn't get sick on my way down to Weselton."

"It was twelve hours and you were worried about my sister. Doesn't count," he rejected.

"Why doesn't that count?" she asked, a new dress covering her form.

Alexander watched her sink gracefully onto the vanity bench and slowly drew the brush through her hair. There was a strange kind of grief that was bubbling in his chest as he watched her ready for the day. He knew it was something that he would never tire of watching, but in the same breath, her preparation for the day marked the end of their time together. "It doesn't count because you were determined to give your self up and act like the brainless oaf you always claim me to be. You'd be surprised how quickly that will settle your stomach," he explained. "Why are you getting dressed? The sun's not even up yet, love."

"We cannot stay in bed all day, Alexander. Besides, I spent weeks in that bed. I can't be lazy forever," she pointed out.

"It wasn't like you were taking your beauty rest, Elsa. We thought you were going to die," he grumbled, rolling to his stomach and grasping the pillow that Elsa had been using at some point during the night. "Come back to bed, love."

"No. Anyways, I was saying something that was slightly important. If we combined the kingdoms into one large country with two separate names, we wouldn't have to give anything up. You said yourself that people normally get their sea legs after a few days. You have to admit that I was fine after a few days at sea. And I'm sure that if we made the trip regularly, then I wouldn't get sick at all." She was braiding her hair, spiraling it into a tight knot at the base of her skull.

"And who, pray tell, would take care of Arendelle while we were in the Southern Isles, Elsa?" he asked her. "We just talked about the fact that Anna wasn't ready and Kristoff wouldn't know what to do if Anna's life depended on it."

"That's simple enough. We have one of your brothers stay here. Well, maybe more than one. There are enough of them. Klaus is in Weselton and you said that he'll likely take a few of your brothers with him for loyalty purposes. Jonas, for example. I offered Kayleigh the position as healer here in Arendelle, since we don't have one. I'm sure that Jonas won't want to leave her. If Jonas was to work with Anna on ruling, the kingdom would be just fine. And then, when we came here to visit, Liam would take over in the Southern Isles, as you planned."

He shoved off the bed and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, resting his chin atop her head and looking at her reflection in the mirror. "What makes you think that the people of Arendelle will be okay with this, Elsa? You're asking them to give up their queen," he pointed out.

"A queen that they don't want, Alexander. You and I both saw the number of men that are locked away in the dungeon awaiting their sentencing. They don't want me. But they'd want Anna."

"I thought we decided..."

"Anna _can_ do this. She has some things to learn and I will admit that she isn't nearly as mature as she could be, but I think that if Jonas was there to help her for a few years, if we were to check in on them periodically, she could learn. She can do this. All of us, with the exception of Kristoff, have been guilty of treating Anna like she's a breakable little girl. She's a full grown woman, Alexander. She can rule the kingdom if she has the tools and knowledge on _how_ to do this."

"She would be queen in action until we saw that she was ready to be queen in name," Alexander whispered. "It's not a terrible plan, love..." he allowed. "But it would take more than just Jonas here. He knows how to rule the kingdom, but if there's an uprising against your sister or our decision, he wouldn't be able to tamper it. Sebastian might stay, if properly enticed." There was a smile on his face that said that he had a plan.

"I don't know what that means. All I heard from that statement is that we have to go and talk to my sister," she replied, her face beaming with triumph. "Which means that I won."

"Oh, did you now?" he asked her as she gently shrugged out of his hold. "Is there a prize that you had in mind, my love?" His smile was devilish, devious, a warning that if she wasn't sure what it was that she wanted, he had a few ideas about what she could have.

She took a deep breath and let it out like a heavy sigh. She wrinkled her nose and bit down on her lip, looking towards the ceiling as if she was strongly considering something. "Now...that is an interesting idea. Are you saying, _King_ Alexander, that I can have anything I'd like?" she teased, standing up and turning to look at him. He jerked her close and threaded his fingers together at the base of her spine, looking down at the lovely lush that stolen across her cheeks.

"Aye, love," he muttered, dragging his hand slowly up her spine, wishing her hair was loose. She was beautiful either way, hair up or down, but he preferred the wild, loose waves that curled around his fingers. "You can have whatever it is you'd like." His mind was already conjuring up images, things that he'd never even considered before he'd met Elsa. There were several things that he wanted to give her, the least of which was a ring. "Anything at all," he added.

Elsa lifted up on her tiptoes to kiss him, wrapping her arms about his neck and letting him pluck her from the ground. She giggled against his mouth as his hands ran up her waist, tickling the sensitive flesh through the ice fabric of her dress. "You're going to mess up my hair," she warned when she felt his fingers creeping up closer to her neck. "And I just did it." She slapped his hand away and stretched back to the ground. "Stop it, now. We have things to see to today and you have to give me what I want."

"I will definitely do that, love. What is it that you're wanting again?" All he could think about was what he wanted.

"It's quite simple, really," she breathed, her mouth onto a scant centimeter from his. He waited impatiently. "It's something that you seem to understand that I love," she continued. She was drawing out each word. Alexander decided that he would let her play her little game. So long as he got what they both wanted in the end. Elsa pressed up on her tiptoes, feeling completely scandalous and knowing that there was a good chance he would kill her when she finished her statement. Oh, but teasing him was such sweet pleasure, she couldn't help herself. "You see, what I want for my prize," she whispered into his ear before jerking away, "is to get out of this room. I've been here for two weeks. My prize will be an outing with you."

"An outing?" he asked, his face crestfallen.

"Mmhm," she hummed. "A picnic will do quite nicely."

"You are _evil_, love."

"Why? I didn't do anything." She smiled innocently over her shoulder, stepping away from him completely to start straightening their bed.

"And I'm the rogue," he grumbled.


	89. Chapter LXXXVIII

**Author's Note: Okay, so we'll head back to Elsa & Alexander tomorrow (promise). Also, I would like to add that your guys' faith in me is a little disheartening. I have a plan, I swear! Anyways, I'll be trying to get ****_Smoldering Heart_**** up tonight, but we'll see. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXXIX**

Klaus felt like he'd been trampled. And not just by one horse, but by the entire damn herd. His head pounded. His eyes were gritty and crusted shut. His side burned like some was roasting him over an open fire. Death would be an easier thing to handle. Maybe God could just pluck him from the earth, let him die so he wouldn't have to endure any more torture. "No, warrior; I'm too stubborn to let you die," an angelic voice breathed, sweet air blowing over his temple and cheek. "You'll be just fine if you could stop retching all over my floor."

Retching? He didn't remember throwing up. "It's a mess to clean and I don't have time to clean when I'm trying to keep you from burning alive," the voice continued. Klaus was fairly certain that angels weren't supposed to be so coarse when they spoke, but the voice was so soft and sweet as it spoke that it was forgivable. "Come now, sir, you must be thirsty." An arm curled beneath his head and lifted him, despite the groan that erupted from his lips. "I'm sure that it hurts, but the water will make it feel better. I promise."

Cool metal pressed against his lips and forced his mouth apart so the icy liquid could trickle into his mouth. For a brief moment, Klaus was grateful for it. Then the taste got hold of his tastebuds and he sputtered, trying to spit the liquid from his mouth. "Aye now it's foul stuff, warrior, but it will ease your pain." She forced him to lie back a little bit so that she could dribble the liquid directly down his throat. "There now," she whispered when the cup was empty, brushing soft, scarred fingers over his cheekbone.

Despite the fact that his eyes didn't want to cooperate, Klaus forced his eyes open to look at the angel hanging overhead. Her hair was black as midnight, darker than the finest silk that he had ever seen. Her skin was honeyed, tanned from hours in the sun. The eyes that were peering down at him were dark with concern, but they were still bluer than the freshest water. "An angel to visit me?" he muttered, his mind dazed and muddled with both drug and pain. The angel cracked a small smile, her eyes easing the tiniest bit.

"Yeah; give me a moment and you'll be calling me Lucifer's spawn," her sweet voice promised him. How could anyone so sweet ever be Satan's daughter? "You've found a way for me to be before," she answered, as if she'd read his thoughts, "I'm quite certain that you can find a way to do it again."

Calais gently laid the man down against her pillowing once again, glad to see that the potion was staying in his stomach this time. She'd gone through every body she could find to get the damn recipe. It was a about time that he kept it down. She scoffed at his settled form. An angel? She'd never been called an angel before, not once in her life. A million of other names, sure, but she'd never been called an angel. She pushed to her feet and straightened the few belongings in her cottage once again. It wasn't the first time that she'd done so since the man had appeared on her doorstep. She wasn't sure what else to do with herself. She couldn't go outside and work in the garden, in case he stopped breathing. There wasn't much left to do, especially since she had very little in her home.

For two days, she was stuck in her small cottage. She grew to hate the four walls and everything that surrounded them. The man on her floor mumbled nonstop. Most times, he only calmed when she was sitting right by her side. He alternate between calling her an angel and crying her devil. It was exhausting, but she didn't stop. She couldn't. Infection hadn't set into the wound, which was a good thing, but the warrior had taken a fever that raged within him. It was the evening of the second, as she was preparing to climb into bed, when someone banged on her door.

"I swear on my life, if another falls into my arms, I'm moving to the Southern Isles," she grumbled as she pushed the door open and stepped outside.

Tobias and Elias crossed their arms over their chests as they waited for someone to answer the door. In the moment that it took Calais to open the door, Tobias spotted his brother lying on a wooden floor. He shoved by the girl and shouldered his way into the room. "Excuse me!" she shouted. "This is my home. Hey? What do you think you're doing!" she screeched in indignation.

Elias saw Tobias moving in and peered around the girl, easy enough since she was so petite. The woman was tall, but not wide at all. Elias would almost consider her too thin, but wouldn't say anything to her. Not when she was holding his brother in her home. He spun her against the wall and pinned her there, narrowing his eyes. "What did you do to him?" he asked her, his voice coming out as little more than a rumble. "What did you to do to our brother?"

"I didn't do anything!" Callie retorted, tilting her head back the tiniest bit to look him in the eye. "I saved his life, you ungrateful boor! If it weren't for me he would've died. You can't say that you care. I have seen you in _two days_ while I've been trying to keep him alive!" It was true that they'd been gone for two days, having incorrectly assumed that Klaus had gotten himself distracted in the village. He wanted to do what was necessary to win the people's trust.

"What is that's happened to him?" the other brother asked her. Callie shouldered herself away from the man holding her.

"I don't know. He came to me like this. I'm no healer, but I could stitch him. I set the line and stopped the bleeding and I've given him a draft to ease the pain and help him sleep. Would you let me go?" she shouted at Elias when he grabbed her arm. "He's lived the last two days. Why the hell would I kill him now? What do you think is going through my mind? 'Oh, he has family, let me kill him now'?" She scoffed at them and rolled her eyes. "I was just trying to help."

"She did a good job setting the stitches," Tobias muttered, looking at the line on his brother's flesh.

"I wouldn't have stitched him if I couldn't set them," Callie retorted. Elias stood still, trying not to laugh at the woman in front of him. She was young, barely more than twenty _if_ that, but Elias couldn't say that she didn't have fire in her. She was practically spitting at the both of them for invading her home and insulting her techniques. "I haven't been able to go and get anyone to help me with him because his breathing is so shallow. Believe what you will, but I'm actually trying to keep him _alive_."

"Aye, lass, we're sure that you are," Elias said, patting her shoulder.

Callie spun around and glared at him dangerously. "I am _not_ your lass! You don't know me. We're not friends. If you want your brother, take him and leave," she snarled. "I wouldn't recommend it, though. His condition is fragile and moving him could rupture stitches or cause him to bleed again. He can stay here and you can bring him a healer."

"There is no healer, las—miss," Tobias corrected when she rounded her glare on him. "In truth, you did better than any of us would've. Eli, let's talk for a moment or two," he said, nodding outside. The two huddled outside the open door, watching Callie inside. "She's a prickly lass."

"I wonder what could've given that away," Elias replied. "Is it true what she says about his wound, though?"

"Yes; the wound is deep, but she'd done a job sealing the wound. But I have the same worry about moving him and having his wound reopen. The healer was taken to Arendelle with Alexander, apparently," Tobias explained.

"Angel?" Klaus called into the cabin. Both brothers turned to look at the man on the floor, having never head such sweetness in their brother's voice before.

"Aye, warrior, I'm here. Your brothers have joined us now," she told him just as kindly, brushing hair from his forehead.

"You're his warrior?" Elias asked, fighting the laugh that bubbled in his throat.

"My…brothers…" Klaus muttered.

"Oh, aye, and I have to say, I'm not liking either one of them at the moment," she told him seriously. "I have to change your bandage now, warrior. Maybe we can get your brothers to bathe you in ice water."

"Consider yourself lucky, miss," Tobias said.

"Why? Because I haven't had to deal with him for two days?"

"No, because he'll be in your debt," Elias explained.

"And what good does that do me?" Callie muttered, pulling the bindings free to look at the wound. "You could've saved me some time by leaving the wound unbound," she added.

"I didn't know," Tobias growled.

"Obviously. Now, what is it you were saying about a debt?" she asked, looking around for her supplies.

"The man who's in your debt, lass, is the king," Elias told her.


	90. Chapter LXXXIX

**Author's Note: I know that everything's up late. I had a late start to the day (since I didn't go to sleep until almost 6 a.m. and had to be up by 8). Anyways, there will be at least two chapters up today and one to ****_Smoldering Heart_**** tonight. I'll try for a third to this story, but I'm not sure. Okay? Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter LXXXIX**

Jonas opened his eyes and struggled against sleep's hold on him. A warm, soft bundle was pressed against his side. He stared up at the flat ceiling of the room that Elsa had given him, feeling contentment seep into his bones unlike anything he'd ever known. He could still feel pain in his back and shoulders, but it paled in comparison to the emotions that were tingling his insides. It was like a warm blanket in the winter months, hanging over him and keeping him heated when the frigid wind battered against the windows.

A puff a air blew against his neck, that soft bundle squirming in his arms. Carefully, he turned his head to find out what was sitting in his arms. Kayleigh's face was tucked against his chest, her eyes gently closed. He shifted, turning towards the small girl tucked in his embrace. Kayleigh's heart shaped mouth parted in an adorable pout, a small moan escaping as she struggled to reclaim the warmth that was evading her. Jonas frowned as he realized that he was in the same bed…sleeping with a girl who'd only known terror in her life.

His befuddled mind struggled to remember what had happened. He remembered reading every tragic moment of her life and holding her tight as she sobbed. He'd kept her close and buried his face in her frizzy mass of hair, trying desperately to tamper down his frustrations. He wanted to find out what had happened to her parents. He wanted to go find her father and beat the man to a pulp. Who in their right mind would _sell_ a five-year-old child? There was no doubt in Jonas' mind that her father had known what would happen to his daughter.

In his nineteen years of living, he'd never once felt as protective of someone as he did of Kayleigh. Her father was just one person on the list of people he wanted to maim. He was now wishing that he could go to Weselton and kill the King and the Duke, as well as any man who had ever dared to touch her. Then, of course, there was her mother. Kayleigh had been five-years-old when she'd taken ill. What could she have possibly done to have deserved going deaf? No one could've been punishing her. She'd been a child.

He didn't think that he would ever forget the sight of her pale green eyes swimming with tears and staring up at him. She'd looked so heartbroken, Jonas couldn't have stopped himself even if he'd tried. Not that he had. He'd wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest, ignoring the pain that rocketed through his back and shoulders and letting her cry. He'd promised her safety, promised her protection. He remembered her sobbing, her shoulders shuddering as she cried, and then everything going still as she'd drifted off to sleep. He must have laid himself back and fallen asleep afterwards.

Guilt racked him as Jonas realized what he'd done. It hadn't been intentional; in fact, if he hadn't been in pain and sore, he wouldn't have acted thusly. He'd inadvertently taken advantage of a girl who had known nothing but horror in her life. Literally every man that she had ever known had tried to hurt her. He didn't want to put himself in that category, even if it had been accidental. He'd just been so tired and in so much pain, what he had done to her hadn't even occurred to me.

"At least I woke up before you did," he muttered. He could only imagine how she would've reacted if she'd opened her eyes and seen him practically smothering her. He gently started to slide away from her when her eyes popped open and looked at him, the pale green muddled with sleep. Kayleigh blinked a little, dispelling everything and realizing that she was resting in the bed with a man. "Kayleigh, lass, I'm sorry," he said instantly, having gone still. "I didn't mean to…to betray your trust. I shouldn't have—"

Kayleigh's soft, elegant finger pressed against his lips to silence him. She gave him a shy smile, hoping that he would understand that she was okay. She had woken up at one point during the night and realized who she was in bed with. It was the first time in more than a decade that she'd opened her eyes in the middle of the night and _not_ been afraid. In fact, she'd been so comfortable, she'd gone right back to sleep with him resting his chin against her hair when she'd cuddled closer. She felt safe with him, inviolable, like nothing could ever hurt her again. She wasn't scared of him.

"Are you okay?" Jonas asked, still sitting like a statue. He'd only moved to capture her hand and draw it away from his lips. Kayleigh burrowed closer to him and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them to look up at him. "Tired?" he guessed. Kayleigh nodded, emotion building in her chest. Maybe it was because Jonas himself wasn't the biggest talker, but he understood her without her needing to try too hard. "I'll let you rest then," he said, trying again to slide away from her.

Kayleigh acted instinctively and grabbed his shoulder to stop him. She jabbed his chest demandingly and pointed back at the pillow. "Kayleigh, it's not proper. You shouldn't even be in this room; if someone found out, they'd call you a whore." Kayleigh cleared her throat and gave him a look that reminded him of what she'd come from. "I won't allow anyone to call you such things again, lass, especially knowing what I do. You were forced to do so many things, Kayleigh, and I won't see you punished because you needed comfort."

_I needed you,_ Kayleigh thought to herself. Instead of finding a way to communicate the words to him, she pointed at the wooden door. "The door may be closed, but that doesn't mean that people don't know that you're in here. If they don't already, they'll figure it out when they can't find you," he pointed out. And when they didn't see Jonas following her around and making sure that she was safe, they would know exactly where Kayleigh had disappeared to. "You can to Arendelle because you wanted a new start, right?" She nodded, though it wasn't necessarily true. Zoe and Elsa had nearly dragged her from Weselton; she didn't have much of a choice. But he was right about wanting to start again. "If people think that you're…If people get the wrong idea, you won't be able to get that start. You deserve marriage and a family, lass. You can't have that if people think your my mistress."

She pointed again to his shoulder, her fingers running lightly over the bandages. "The would is just fine, I promise." He said the words, but he still couldn't stop himself from yawning. Kayleigh glared at him and pointed at the pillow. "No, Kayleigh. I won't do that to you."

Feeling evil for what she was about to do, Kayleigh pursed her lips and squeezed a little on the wound. Jonas gasped, or maybe he growled, but she didn't hear it. She just knew that he collapsed against the mattress again. Kayleigh cuddled into his loose embrace, effectively pinning him to the mattress while he panted and tried to recover. The pain hadn't been severe, but it had been a hot flash that shocked him to his core, especially since it was _Kayleigh_ who had hurt him. When he opened his eyes and glared at her, she simply smiled back at him, glad that she'd managed to get him back to bed.

"Aren't you just a cruel lass," he grumbled. Kayleigh arched her back to lean back and look at him, not realizing the way it pushed her chest into his. "Thank you for taking care of my wound last night, Kayleigh." She smiled and nodded a little bit. She pressed her hand to his heart, feeling it beat evenly beneath her palm and tried to thank him for letting her tell him about her life. "You don't have to thank me, Kayleigh." But she wanted to. She wanted him to know that she was grateful for everything that he offered her. She wanted him to know that she trusted him, completely and fully trusted him.

Sliding her hand across his chest to his injured shoulder, Kayleigh examined the wound that had been inflicted for _her_ protection. She didn't know anyone else who would've done something like that for her. "Kayleigh," Jonas breathed when he felt her leaning closer, but she was too close to see his mouth and understand what he was saying. She crawled up a little farther in the bed so that their mouths were level. Her eyes lifted to meet his gaze, goosebumps covering her skin. She was sure that he was saying something, but all she felt was his breath washing over her cheeks.

Gathering her courage, she leaned forward kissed him.


	91. Chapter XC

**Author's Note: Okay, so I will ****_not_**** be getting another chapter up tonight. Work was insanity, I haven't slept very much, and I think a little downtime with my person. Anyways, I'll still have ****_Smoldering Heart_**** up tonight. Okay? Okay! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XC**

It was nothing like she'd pictured it, but Emily couldn't think of a more perfect wedding to have. The priest had been called from one of the nearby islands, only a two hours' sail away. After securing her father's blessing, Oliver escorted her back to her home. "I'll be back for you in just a little while, Em. I want to go and make sure that the cook is ready for everything tonight," he told her, leaning against the wall of her home. "You should, uh...after we finish the ceremony..." He licked his lips, trying to figure out the right way to say things to her.

Emily couldn't help but smile at the hesitant expression on his face. From the moment that she'd flown at him in the market and wrapped her arms around his waist, Ollie had been so sure that he wanted her, that he'd been waiting forever for her. She couldn't help but be a little glad that he was hesitating, that his cheeks were turning red and he seemed to be struggling to find the words. At least she knew that he was still somewhat human. "After we get married, you mean?" she whispered.

Hearing her say it seemed to ease his mind. He took a deep breath and smiled at her. "After we get married, sunshine, you'll be living in the castle with me. So, if you have clothing or...things that you want to pack to bring back to our chamber, you should do that," he managed to get out without swallowing his own tongue. Our chamber, he'd said. Emily's heart thrilled a little at the sound of it. Maybe he would let her change a few things around the chamber. It could do with some sprucing up.

She nodded and leaned up to him. Taking what she was so willingly offering, Oliver kissed her sweetly, cupping her cheek in his palm and stepping closer to wrap his arm around her waist. "What do you think you are doing, Oliver?" a curt, Scottish voice chastised. "You let go of that girl this instant before you ruin her reputation. Now, go on. Get!" Moira snapped at him. "Emily, dear," Moira said in a softer tone. "We talked about this, remember? A woman's reputation..."

"Doesn't matter when she's about to be married, Moira," Oliver said, a smile lifting his mouth. Moira's mouth fell open in surprise.

"You...her... Well, thank the Lord in Heaven; it would seem that you finally came to your senses, lassie. Oliver, you take your arse back to that castle. We have some things that we need to deal with," Moira said. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt, at the center of his spine, and jerked him away from his fiancée. "Go on, now!" Having gotten a separation between the two, Moira shouldered her way between the two of them and practically shoved the petite blonde through the front door of her home.

"You didn't have to do that, Moira," Emily said when they were alone in the house. Moira smiled and pat her shoulder, misunderstanding Emily's meaning. Moira thought the girl was thanking her when, in fact, Emily truly meant it. She'd been enjoying Oliver's kiss. Even knowing that she had a lifetime of them ahead of her, she didn't think she was every going to get enough. "What is it that you're doing here, Moira? Not that I don't appreciate it, but I'm just confused about what you're doing here."

"Do you have any dresses you were thinking of wearing? Or should we make you a new one?" Moira said, starting up the stairs. She'd never been to the house before, but she went by assumption that the girl's room was upstairs.

"Moira...we're getting married this evening, before the meal. Ollie went to make sure that the cook has everything she needs for a feast for dinner. In celebration of our marriage," Emily explained. Moira whipped around on the staircase and stared at the girl before thundering up the stairs. "Moira?"

"Och, you should've started with that, lass," Moira said, opening every door on her way down the hall. "I thought we had more time."

"More time for what?" Emily asked, passing the older Scot and pushing the door to her bedroom open.

Moira walked inside and took hold of her surroundings. "When did your mother die?" Moira asked.

"Giving birth to me," Emily replied. "My father said that she was bleeding so much, the healer couldn't staunch the flow. He found me wet-nurse to feed me. Why do you ask?"

Moira patted the bed and waited for Emily to join her before she started speaking. "You haven't had a woman to teach you about the things that come with marriage, have you?"

"Why would I need that? I figured everything else out without having someone beside me," Emily replied with an obvious frown on her face. Her obvious ignorance didn't deter Moira from the talk she so desperately wanted to give. She'd never had children, never been able to with Dorsey gone so often. She'd taken care of the princes after their mother had passed away. Well, before that really, but that didn't matter. Dorsey often teased her about taking in strays, but that was her personality. She couldn't stand to see a child without a parent.

So, while they sorted through all of Emily's belongings, Moira told her everything that a maiden should know before she entered her marriage bed. "What's this?" Moira asked when she came to the back of Emily's wardrobe. Emily smiled wistfully as Moira pulled out the lacy white garment.

"I'd forgotten that those were in there," Emily muttered, looking at the gown. "They were my mother's. She wore them for her wedding ceremony with my father. That was her chemise, too." Moira flew into action, stripping the girl down and throwing the clothing at her before lunging for a needle and thread.

* * *

Oliver wasn't sure that he could wait another moment. He wanted Emily to walk through the doors and be ready to marry him. He'd returned to Emily's home to bring her back to the castle for the wedding, but had been promptly kicked out by Moira, the mother hen. Now, he was standing at the alter of the chapel, pacing. "What in God's green earth is taking this woman so long?" he muttered.

"It's your wedding, Ollie," Christian said with a laugh. "Women like to look good on their wedding day."

"I don't care what she's wearing. I'd marry her in a burlap sack."

"Well, lucky, you don't have to do that," Emily said with a laugh, standing in the double doors, silhouetted by the setting sun.

Oliver had always thought that she was a beautiful woman, but seeing her golden hair braided and piled atop her head in gentle, sweeping curls, sprigs of baby's breath in around the knot. Moira had braided olive green ribbon into the style, matching the colors that colored Oliver's room. Emily's gown was whiter than snow, with lace sleeves and a high collar around her neck. The bodice scooped a few inches beneath her collarbone, the lace looking almost like a vest. The fabric clung to her waist and chest and flared about her hips, accentuating her tiny waist. He'd never seen her look quite so feminine.

Her father took her hand and led her down the aisle, transferring her hand to Oliver's when they got to the end. The symbolism thundered through her heart. She wasn't the daughter of a guard. After the vows were spoken, she would be the wife of a prince. She smiled shyly at him when he leaned down to brush his lips against her cheek. "You look stunning, Emily," he breathed into her ear. The priest cleared his throat when it looked like neither one of them would break free of their moment.

The vows were spoken, before God, their families and friends. Knowing it was out of the usual order, Oliver had asked the priest to allow him a moment to present the ring to his young bride. "You asked about a ring earlier," Oliver said in a quiet voice, releasing her hand and reaching for the leather around his neck that held the ring she'd given him. "When I knew that I wanted to marry you, I had this outfitted with a real stone, instead of the cheap crystal that was in it when you bought it." Emily stared in awe at the emerald stone that sat surrounded by the small diamonds.

He grabbed hold of her hand and gently separated the fingers so he could slide the ring onto her finger. "You gave this to me the day that I shipped out for the first time. Do you remember what you told me?" She shook her head; she couldn't remember anything about that day accept that he was supposed to be gone for months. She wasn't going to see him for weeks. "You told me that this would be a piece of you that I would always get to keep with me. You said that it would keep me safe. So now, I'm giving it to you. No matter how far we are from each other, together or apart, I'll always be with you and I will always protect you. You gave this to me when we were kids, but I'm giving it to you now. You're my wife, Emily, and I love you more than anything else."

"I love you too," Emily breathed as the priest announced that they could kiss.

"You have turned into such a sap," Christian muttered even as he smiled.


	92. Chapter XCI

**Author's Note: youtube dot com/watch?v= M7nzml- zZ9M (Replace the dot with a . and removed spaces to watch if you feel like laughing). To answer all your questions, I am not dead, I did not have an accident, I did not jump off a cliff. Every once in a while, insomnia decides that it would like to ruin my life by giving me exhaustion, which is what happened last night. I crashed out in a chair at like 11 and didn't wake up until almost 10 this morning. That may seem normal to some people, but for me, that's like a coma. Anyways, I'm alive and writing again. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XCI**

Jonas froze. It wasn't that the feel of her lips pressed lightly against his didn't feel fantastic. It wasn't that the scent of her didn't swirl around his nose like heaven. It wasn't that he could taste honey faintly on her lips. It wasn't that she was perfection in a woman.

It was that he was terrified.

Kayleigh made his head spin, especially knowing what he did about her past. She was trusting him, giving him every piece of herself that hadn't been destroyed in her childhood. He didn't want to betray her by losing his head, but if Kayleigh didn't pull away soon, that was exactly what would happen.

Kayleigh herself frowned and made to pull away. Perhaps she'd done something wrong. Truth be told, she'd never kissed a man before. Oh, she'd been kissed plenty before. She'd had men grab her face between their hands, thrust their tongues into her mouth. She'd been beaten for biting them or trying to lock her mouth shut. She knew exactly what to expect when she'd pressed her mouth against his, but nothing had happened. She must have done something wrong, which meant that she was just embarrassing herself.

She made a move to pull away when Jonas lifted his hand to the nape of her neck and buried his fingers through her hair. His other arm stole around her waist and dragged her directly to his chest. His mouth moved lightly against hers, his lips gently pulling and tugging hers. It was enthralling. Kayleigh felt her head begin to spin as he continued to move, tilting his head to the side. His fingers massaged the skin at the nape of her neck, pulling and tugging at the skin. He didn't invade her mouth with his tongue, though. He kept his mouth moving softly against hers instead.

Jonas felt her hands slide from the space between their laps and grip his shirt front lightly. He'd never imagined anything as sweet as holding Kayleigh in his arms and kissing her. She may not be able to hear the soft purring noises that she was making as he kissed her. But when he felt her open her mouth and sigh against his, he jerked away. Her willingness was too dangerous. He wouldn't risk hurting her, physically or emotionally. Struggling to get his breathing back un control, he pressed his forehead against Kayleigh's. There were so many dangers in what he'd just done.

If he'd just shoved her away, as his brain _screamed_ at him to do, he could've hurt her. She was putting herself out there, trying to trust him. Pushing her away could've pushed her back into the shell that she'd lived in for so long. Kissing her had...it had been heaven manifested in his arms. But the moment that she'd sighed and rested more of her weight against him, he'd known he had to pull away. He ran the risk of throwing her onto her back and pinning her to the mattress, kissing her senseless. And scaring the life out of her. Even now, kissing her had its own risks. He'd jerked away so suddenly, Kayleigh could interpret it as regret. There were a million things running through his brain, but regret wasn't one of them.

Kayleigh peered up at his face through her dark lashes, his mouth opened ever so slightly, his breath whispering across his lips. She saw goosebumps break out across his shoulders as he held her tight. No one had ever been so gentle with her. In fact, she'd never felt so cherished before in her life, not even in the glimpses of memories she had from before her illness. Her father had always tolerated her. Her mother had always tried to purify her. Jonas just wrapped her up in his safety. She was starting to believe that she could have the life that he'd described to her. A family, children, a husband, everything that she'd never even dreamed of. She could have all of it so long as she had him with her. He was the only one who let her feel like she was safe again.

She reached up and skittered her fingers over his cheekbones. Jonas' eyes opened as he looked at her. Her lips had darkened to a rusted rose color, swollen from the force of his mouth against hers. Her eyes were almost delirious, only a thin line of pale green around her widened pupils. But she was smiling and stardust was twinkling in her eyes. She was happy in his arms. She felt safe after he'd kissed her. Jonas tightened his hold on the back of her neck and let his own lips twist in a smile. He slid his hand around and brushed the pad of his thumb along her cheekbone, stroking upwards to her temple.

"I have to go and see to things, Kayleigh. You should stay up here and rest, after the shock that you had yesterday," he explained, glaring at her as if he expected her to defy him. Kayleigh felt herself smiling, felt the joy in the pit of her stomach. She'd been forced to be meek and quiet for so long; when Alexander had taken from Weselton, she'd wanted to be the person she'd always dreamed of being. Of course, she was always worried about being shoved back into her spot. But with Jonas... He didn't care. He expected her to be a pain to him. This was the first time that Kayleigh felt he might bend her to his will. And it was for her wellbeing that he wasn't willing to budge.

She nodded to him, telling him that she would stay in bed and sleep a little while longer. Truth be told, she wanted to curl back up with his pillow and sleep the day away. Elsa was on the mend and under careful supervision from Alexander and her sister. Kayleigh needed a little rest, without the fear that someone was going to come in and hurt her.

Jonas leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead, lingering longer than necessary. While Kayleigh savored the sweetness of his embrace, Jonas inhaled the honeysuckle scent that lingered on her skin. When he finally pulled away and left the bed, heading for the door, Kayleigh latched onto his wrist. He turned back easily and waited while she scribbled on the parchment he'd kept by the bed the previous night. _Will you come back here?_ she'd scrawled. She didn't want him to feel kicked out of his own chamber.

Jonas surprised her by grabbing her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be back for you at supper time if you're not already up and about, lass," he promised her. Satisfied, Kayleigh turned over and gathered the pillows to her chest and allowed Jonas to cover her with the fur blankets. Trailing behind her to make sure that she was safe wasn't good enough anymore. Jonas was quickly realizing that he wanted her at his side, and in his bed, every night. Once just wasn't going to be enough anymore. Kayleigh deserved happiness and he'd decided it would be with him.

He wasn't foolish enough to believe that she would marry him that very evening. Kayleigh had so many things to combat. She'd been betrayed, hurt, and in her mind, ruined. She didn't understand that, to him, she was perfection. If he wanted Kayleigh in his life, he was going to have to allow her to trust him and understand that he would never hurt her, that the men that she'd known in Weselton weren't everywhere around her. They may still exist, but they weren't going to come after her. Not again. He wouldn't allow it.

"That's a hard look on your face," Sebastian commented, looking at his younger brother descending the stairs. "Anything you want to talk about?" The question was redundant, since neither one of the brothers were big on communication. So, when Jonas just shrugged and continued down the stairs, Sebastian let it slide by. "Alexander wants to give up the throne," he added as they were starting towards the courtyard.

"It's not like there's much of a choice. Elsa can't give up her throne," Jonas muttered. He understood. "At least if one of you takes over back at home, he knows that we can take care of stuff. I had to teach Anna books the other day, something that we've studied since we were kids."

"'One of you'?"

"Huh?"

"You said one of you," Sebastian pointed out, looking at his brother with a discerning eye. "You're not coming back with us, are you?" Jonas just shrugged again. "Elsa could give up her title." Clearly Jonas wasn't going to answer his previous question, so Seb decided to change the title.

"She could, but it wouldn't be a good idea. Anna doesn't _want_ the title and Kristoff wouldn't know what to do with it," Jonas pointed out. He turned and rounded on his brother. "Do you know what makes Elsa so different?" Sebastian shook his head. Elsa was sweet and kind, but she held no appeal for him personally. Nothing beyond affection. "Me neither. But that's what makes her special. We don't have to get it, but Alexander does. So we should just stay out of it, Seb, and let them make their decision."

"Far too much femininity around these parts," Sebastian muttered. "Meet you out for some sparing?"

"I'll kick your ass."

"You wish, baby brother," Sebastian warned.

"I have a good chance. What with you being an old man and all," Jonas retorted.


	93. Chapter XCII

**Author's Note: Okay, so this might be the only other chapter tonight. I start finals on Monday and I need to study. But if it is, I promise you FOUR CHAPTERS TOMORROW. Okay? Okay!**

* * *

**Chapter XCII**

"Elsa, you just got out of bed. Can't we go on this _outing_ next week?" Alexander asked her for the millionth time. Elsa just bustled around him, putting the flat breads, cheese, and apples she'd taken from the kitchen into the saddle bags. The stable boy care forward with a dapple grey, the mare's head bowed in graceful submission. "What is that?" Alexander demanded, pointing an offending finger at the mare who was dressed in a soft saddle and bridle, reading to be ridden wherever it was Elsa was taking them.

"It's a horse, Alexander," Elsa replied placatingly. "It has some Latin name that I can't remember. People ride them for transportation or use them to plow fields. You've probably ridden one or two in battle before." Her eyes were glittering with laughter, but Alexander didn't find her remotely humorous at the moment. The woman was obviously deranged if she thought that he was going to let her on the back of a horse. It hadn't even been a month since she'd nearly died. Not only would the animal's gait tug and twist at her wounds, but if something spooked the horse, Elsa would be in danger once again.

"I know what a horse is. And the Latin name is _Equus ferus caballus_," he grumbled. "What I meant to say was: what is the horse doing all saddled and ready to go?" he explained. Elsa just stared at him. "You can't honestly think that I'm going to let you _ride_ that beast!"

"Genevieve is not a _beast_," Elsa defended, stroking the mare's forelock while the horse searched Elsa for any kind of treats. "I spent the winter learning how to horseback ride. The stable master gave me Genevieve because she's so sweet." The mare buried her nose in the pocket on the front of Elsa's riding frock, finding the sugar cube that Elsa had put there, planning to give it to the horse when they'd arrived at their destination. "Naughty brat," Elsa chastised when the mare lipped the goodie into her mouth. "She's harmless, Alex. She won't hurt me."

"What if a rabbit jumps across the path to...wherever we're going?" Alexander demanded, feeling as if he was winning this battle.

"Genevieve was the stable master's horse that he used for hunting until I asked him to teach me how to ride. He's assured me that, short of pointing a gun at her face and trying to shoot her, she'll be just fine with anything and everything," Elsa said, oh so calmly defeating his worries. "I was thinking that we could take it slowly. You've never gotten to see much of Arendelle, since we're always in the castle and the courtyards. The only time you've ever been in our forests was when I was running away. I was hoping that we could explore a little in order to get to our destination."

"Which is?"

"Now, if I told you that, the entire secret would be out of the bag. I'll be just fine, Alexander," she said. Giving the mare more than enough rein, she stepped up to Alexander's chest and hooked one arm around his neck. "I thought I proved last night that I wasn't breakable," she muttered, pressing up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "If I need you to pull me onto your horse, I will tell you. But I don't need you to treat me like some..." she struggled to find the right words. "I don't need you to treat me like a china doll, Alexander. I am more than capable of riding a horse or telling you that I can't do it."

"And we're going off of _your_ discretion, not mine?" he asked, wrapping his own arm around her waist and taking his reins from another stable boy.

"Mine. If we use yours, Genevieve is going right back in her stall. Everything is going to be fine," she promised, kissing his lips this time. She gave him a soft kiss, but Alexander wanted so much more. He growled when he thought about the night and early morning. His eyes lit with fire, but Elsa read the look too easily and stepped from his arm and strode to her own horse. "What I will need from you is a leg up," Elsa said. Her wounds were healing well, but they were still stiff. She was sure stretching her leg and scrunching her body to get her foot in the stirrup would be painful. Instead, she put her left foot into Alexander's hands, grabbed the gullet of her saddle with her hands and let him lift her into the saddle. "Like I said, if I need your help, I can ask you for it."

Alexander mounted his own animal and followed Elsa out of the courtyard and into the depths of the forest. Her eyes were closed as the mare carried her through the trees. The light played over her pale skin, the sun highlighting the rose that bloomed over her cheekbones. "You love to be outside," he observed. Elsa nodded, a half smile lighting her lips.

"I wouldn't say that I was stuck in my bedroom for a long time, but I was afraid to leave. My parents, especially my father, felt that I would be able to control my powers more if I was in my own room. I think they're plan was for my room to be my haven, but it kind of became a prison. I was afraid to go outside because I knew that I would meet people and I worried that I would hurt them. But now." She smiled, leaning back in her saddle to chase the light that was warming her face, "I find I like fresh air and sunshine."

Alexander knew without a doubt that he wanted to marry the girl sitting beside him, but what she'd just revealed was one of the reasons that he hadn't pressed the situation. She had been confined and chained down for so long. He wanted her to have a chance to find out what she loved to do. She loved being outside. She clearly liked her horse. He needed her to figure out exactly what she wanted and what she liked. Those were things that he couldn't be a part of. If his parents' relationship had taught him anything, it was about being two different people.

His father had been a great warrior. He'd lived and breathed training. The man had woken up at the crack of dawn to start his working and training and kept at it until the sun was setting over the hills. The Southern Isles had been known for their warriors, for the men that were trained and brought up. Alexander's mother had been more concerned about the people. The woman had spent hours a day talking to the crofters and planters, making menu plans with the cook, teaching orphans how to read and write. It was what had made the country so successful. His father had cared about the protection of the keep and its inhabitants and his mother had cared for the people that lived in the country. The country was practically infallible.

His father had loved his mother unconditionally. If you'd asked the man, he would've told you that his wife had been the greatest human being to ever walk the earth. The king had had little interest in the reparations of the huts or the knitting of new blankets, but he'd listened to every word that had come from his wife's lips. He'd even offered up advice whenever he'd needed to. The road for them went both ways. Alexander's mother had had few interests in training and wounds and how to properly maim a man on a horse, while avoiding his death. But she'd listened. The main interest his parents had shared had been their children. Well, that and each other.

"We have to go from foot here," Elsa said, her bell-like voice breaking Alexander out of his thoughts. Elsa was the only person he could imagine sharing something akin to his parents' relationship with. He could imagine focusing on his soldiers and warriors while Elsa dealt with the books and the millions of other things that interested her. He could imagine crawling into bed beside her every evening and listening to her stories of the day, telling his own in return.

Alexander helped her down from her horse and left the two animals tied to some low hanging branches. She brought him around a small cliff face, where the rock created a tunnel. A staircase stared at him, not at all natural, but more beautiful than anything that he'd ever seen before. "Come on," Elsa said excitedly, holding her hand out to him. He took hold of it and followed her a few steps before she turned and looked at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Do you trust me?" she replied.

"Of course." She waved her hand and covered his eyes with a scarf, the chill startling him a little. Carefully, she brought him up the stairs to the base of the building, licking her lips nervously. When they made it to the landing between her two staircases, she removed his blindfold and waited nervously for him to say something. Alexander could only stair in awe at the building that was jutting up, cradled in the clearing of the mountain. "What is this place?" he muttered.

"My palace."

* * *

**By the way, the rule about overwhelming numbers of reviews (more than 8) still stands. More than 8 reviews, and I could be temped to put up the next chapter. Love y'all!**


	94. Chapter XCIII

**Author's Note: We'll get back to Elsa & Alexander tomorrow. And there will still be four chapters up tomorrow to make up for the lack yesterday. Okay? Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XCIII**

Callie jerked around from the warrior's prone body and stared up at the twins in her home. "I'm sorry, I must be going crazy because it sounded to me like you said that he's the new king," she said, her eyes wide and mouth agape like a bass that had been hauled ashore. "But if he's the king and you're his brothers, that would make you two princes."

"Oh good," Tobias muttered. "She knows how a hierarchy works." Elias elbowed his twin in the ribs in a silent chastisement of his attitude.

"Oh, shut up," Callie muttered scathingly. Realizing who she was speaking to, though, she clapped a hand over her mouth and looked at the ground before she said something that she would regret. "I'm sorry; that was rude and improper of me, Your Highnesses," she managed to get out without biting her tongue off. She wanted to make a good impression on the king and his family. She wanted to be out of the forest and welcomed back in the village. _Naturally, I managed to nearly bite their bloody heads off_, she grumbled to herself as she thought about how rude she'd been.

"You can call us Tobias and Elias, miss," Elias said, pointing to his brother and himself. "As long as we get to find out your name."

"Calais," Callie replied. "My name is Calais."

"It's nice to meet you, Calais. We thank you for taking care of our brother," Eli replied, trying to get himself back on good footing with the girl that would be caring for his brother. The girl had done a good job in setting the stitches and caring for Klaus. If the man himself was any indication, something had formed between him and the girl. Strange to consider, especially since Klaus had been unconscious since he fell through the door. "What can you tell us?" he asked.

"I can tell you nothing, Prince Elias," she said formally. "I was in my home, working in my kitchen. I hear nothing outside, not even the birds. The King came knocking on my door; he was bleeding profusely and mumbling incoherently. I brought him inside and stitched him up. But as I said before, I've been too worried about his health to leave him in the cottage alone. I didn't know that he was the king, or I would've sent for someone."

"You did just fine, lass," Elis said, inadvertently reverting to the name. Callie swallowed hard against the urge to tell him once again that she was _not_ his lass. "We have two more brothers back at the castle that are worried about him. We need to go back and let them know that Klaus is alive, but one of us will be back to stay here. You'll not be alone again. If you should have need of a runner or a break, we'll make sure one of us is here."

"You can't stay in my home." Callie could've pulled her own tongue out of her mouth. She was supposed to be submissive towards them. Why was this such a difficult concept for her? She just had to clamp her mouth shut and stop talking. Tobias raised a haughty eyebrow and stared at her. Once he'd gotten over the fact that Klaus had been seriously injured, he'd realized how rude he'd been to the girl. After all, she was being kind enough to take their brother in, even before she knew that he was king.

"We're just trying to make sure you have some help, Calais," Elias said placatingly.

"I understand and appreciate that, Your Highnesses, but it wouldn't be proper. It's bad enough that I've been in the house for two days with one man. If people knew that there were more than one, they would begin to talk." Not that it really mattered; her reputation had been in tatters from the time that she was four-years-old. She would never get married. No one would ever want her. _And that's just fine_, she told herself firmly. She didn't need someone to marry her. She just needed _people_. She was tired of being banished and alone.

"No one even knows you're out here," Tobias said. "I doubt they're going to know if you had two men in your cottage. I'll bring some clean bandaging for my brother and I will be spending the night," he informed her before turning on his heel and walking out of the cottage. He was right about one thing. People wouldn't know if she had two men staying in her home, but people definitely knew that she was there. They'd just ignored her for so long, they didn't care. Besides, it probably wouldn't surprise them if they thought she was a whore.

Elias thanked her again for taking care of his brother, promised her that they would do their best to keep her nonexistent reputation intact, and followed his brother back outside. The second that the door swung shut, Callie nearly exploded. "Of all the highhanded, entitled, stubborn, _insulting_ brats!" she growled, storming around her cabin and slamming her bowl down on her counter. "I was the one who set your stitches. I was the one who dug through volumes of books to find a potion to help you sleep. I've kept you for two days without killing you. I don't need someone sitting on my shoulder and watching me."

"Angel?" Klaus called softly, hearing the devil grumbling about killing someone. "Where's my angel?" he asked, wishing that the demon would just go away. His angel was so much kinder and sweeter.

"I'm here, warrior," she told him, sinking back down to his side. Klaus tried to snuggle himself closer to her, feeling the angel's arms slide beneath his head to give him more water. He hissed and flinched when the movement brought a little pain to his side. "I know that it hurts, but the draft will put you back to sleep in a moment."

"Don't like it when you leave," he told her. Callie smiled a little and dribbled the water down his throat, trying to keep him hydrated.

Klaus fell asleep, pillowed against the rough fabric and plush chest of his angel. "Why did you have to be a king?" she asked him, stroking his hair softly. She gave a small half snort, half chuckle. "I don't even know you." But she'd made up some fanciful story about him in her mind. Stupid as it was, she wanted so desperately to have someone care about her. In her girlish fantasy, the warrior that she'd rescued and healed would come back to check on her, would realize that she was completely on her own. "That's what I get for being such a girl. I should know better than to think that something good would come out of this," she grumbled. Klaus mumbled something about his angel again and turned his face farther towards her. "You just had to be a king. No doubt, you'll go back to the castle and tell them about the girl in the woods and they'll tell you about me, about what I'd done." She sighed again, looking at the moon coming up in the sky.

She stood with the intention of finding _more_ x blankets to make a bed for the Prince that would be staying in her house. maybe, between the two of them, they could painlessly get Klaus up onto the bed. Sleeping on the ground likely didn't feel good to him or to his wound. She was rummaging through one of her chests when she heard the king whimper and try to roll. "King Klaus, you must stop that," she told him sternly, but he didn't heed her. "You have to stop. You'll rip your stitches," she grumbled.

"I can't do it," he said, his voice despondent and almost childlike.

"Oh let me tell you, you can definitely rip them and start the bleeding again," she said.

"I can't rule the kingdom. Too much," he told her. "They'll hate me. I'll fail." She softened a little, realizing what he was saying. "My brothers. I can't fail my brothers." So much weight on such broad shoulders. She could see the lines that started to worry the warrior on the ground. "I will fail." Callie wondered if the man ever talked to his brothers, ever told them that she was worried or afraid of failing.

Checking the door to make sure that none of his brothers were coming through the door, Calais leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek, glad to feel that it was mostly dry and not overly warm. "You'll not fail, King Klaus. You're too stubborn to fail. You wouldn't let someone kill you; you won't let the kingdom crumble around you." Clearing her throat to disperse the heady emotions, she fluffed his pillow. "Besides, I need back into the kingdom and only the king can command that. Which means that you need to be king. You owe me a debt and I'll see it paid. You may be too stubborn to die, Klaus, but I'm too stubborn to see you fail."

* * *

**Oh, and for those who follow ****_Beware the Smoldering Heart_****, I will be posting the chapter tomorrow. Okay? Okay!**


	95. Chapter XCIV

**Author's Note: Okay, so there's another Elsa & Alexander chapter on the horizon and then I'll have a Klaus & Calais chapter and then... I think we're back to Elsa & Alexander, but I haven't decided yet. Okay? Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XCIV**

Alexander stared up at the castle. The towers stood tall and proud, hidden in the cover and unseen by the rest of the world. The building looked like it was made completely of glass, the sun shining on it and casting blue on the green hillside around it. "Is this…" he trailed off, staring at the darker purple that shined down over them. Elsa was staring up at the castle as if it was her safest haven. "This is where you were, when everyone said you disappeared to the north mountain? This is where they meant?"

"Well, kind of," Elsa said, looking at the lump of snow that was sitting by the second staircase. "I had to come back and do repairs a few months after everything happens. One of Weselton's men dropped a chandelier on me, or at least _tried_ to. Everything was so fragile, the impact made everything break apart. Most of the inside, really. So I came back over winter and fixed everything that I could," she explained. "Marshmallow?" she called as they neared the clump of snow. The giant monster turned his head and stood, morphing from snow to monster.

"Alexander, this is marshmallow. He's the guard of my palace," she explained. "Your brother chopped off one of his legs." Marshmallow growled as he looked at the king that was standing at Elsa's side. "He might hold a grudge or two. Marshmallow, could you make sure that no one bothers us while I show Alexander around?" she asked the monster. He gave an affirmative in his deep voice while elsa grabbed Alexander's hand and towed him up the second staircase to her palace. Alexander stared at his surroundings as Elsa pulled him, awestruck by both the surroundings and the giddiness that she was exuding.

"I can't believe you made this," Alexander muttered when they got to the front door of her palace. Elsa waved a hand in front of her, the doors opening on her command. The fountain stood in the middle, frozen crystals of ice pouring down like water would have. Another staircase wound around the entire place, columns of clear ice rising in archways and support. The staircase split in two, heading in different directions. "Elsa, this is incredible," he said seriously, looking at everything that was made of beautiful ice. It was so clear, so smooth.

"Come on," she insisted, dragging him up the left staircase to the room with her balcony, the room that overlooked Arendelle. Alexander followed her, for once silent. His eyes were wide as he stared at everything. The floor in the room she led him to had a snowflake on the floor. There was no furniture in the room, but Alexander didn't think that it did. The sun streamed in through the doors, tinging the blue ice pinkish purple. Elsa stood in the center, her arms wrapped around herself as she waited nervously for him to say something more.

Alexander just didn't know what to say. He'd known that Elsa was powerful. He'd known that she could do amazing things. He only needed to remember her shooting off ice a million miles an hour to recall just how truly strong she was. But he'd never seen her make something so beautiful, something so grand. Elsa stood in the center of some inset snowflake, looking at him with worried eyes. If it wasn't for the trepidation in her eyes, Alexander would easily say that she belonged in the palace. This was her home; this was where she was meant to stay and meant to live. Oh, sure, she may look at home in Arendelle and in the Southern Isles. She may look comfortable, but that wasn't her _place_. She belonged in the palace.

"This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," he murmured, turning to look at her. A smile had brightened her eyes and taken away the bleakness that had nearly overwhelmed him. "Next to you, of course. There's nothing as beautiful as you." She beamed at him brightly and stepped up to him, shoving the doors behind her open with another wave of her hand. The balcony was a half circle, but Alexander couldn't see what it relied on for support. It overlooked the entire countryside, green and sprigged with flowers throughout the landscape. "Why did you come down from here?" he muttered, more to himself than to her.

"I didn't have much of a choice," Elsa said, having heard him clearly. "When the people of Arendelle couldn't find Anna, they went in search of me. Hans led the charge, with two of Weselton's men. Back then, I'd actually appreciate him because he'd saved me. He had them bring me down to dungeon and chain me up. I thought that Hans was the reason that I got to live, but knowing what I know now, I realize that it was just a ploy. Hans was working with Weselton the entire time. If I had died, then he would've become king." She walked straight to the railing that surrounded the balcony and looked out over everything that she'd been so willing to give up. "I thought that I could hide away up here forever. I was so used to being alone; I assumed that I could just continue to do so and keep my sister safe."

Like he had all those months ago, Alexander strode forward and locked her between his arms, grabbing hold of the railing and pressing his chin to the top of her head. "You better not hide from me, Elsa. search the world for you," he informed her seriously. Elsa curved her back into his chest and felt him tighten his arms around her. Alexander stooped and pressed his lips to her temple, the shell of her ear, the curve of her cheek, down her neck, across the shoulders bared by her dress. "You do realize that you didn't want to be alone, right?"

"Yes, I did." She didn't anymore, but she'd wanted to be alone then. "I wanted to be away from _everyone_."

"No, you didn't." She frowned up at him, tilting her head at an awkward angle to look at him. "You didn't want to be alone, Elsa. If you think about it, you created Olaf to give you company and Marshmallow to protect you. You made them because you didn't actually _want_ to be alone. You were a little girl when you shut yourself up in your room, Elsa. And you were only eighteen when your parents died. You didn't want to be alone. You realized how difficult things were and you ran away."

"I think I like things better when I'm the smart one," she told him, turning in his arms and facing him. "I was thinking about how much time we've spent in the castle and how much you know about me when I'm there. But you've never seen me in my own element. _This_ is my element. It's like watching you on a ship or watching you command people around. You don't get to see yourself like that. You are so amazing and I just want you to see me that way too."

"I already do," Alexander muttered. "Don't get me wrong, Elsa, I'm so glad and so grateful that you brought me here, but you're already amazing to me. I have never met a single person who makes me feel the way you do. I've never met someone who makes me want to pull my own hair out and scream at them before I kiss her senseless. I've never met someone who is strong and powerful and independent, but still willing to rely on me and your sister and my brothers. You _love_ so fiercely and you're so willing to do everything to protect the people you love."

"I'm also a basket case who killed her own sister," she muttered. "I froze an entire country and nearly ruined countless people's lives. I'm a danger to everyone around me. I don't doubt that you love, Alexander. I love you." She licked her lips and looked up at him with a determined glint in her eyes. "I don't doubt it, but I don't understand it."

"That's the beauty of love, Elsa. It's pure and real and unaffected by the things around it. Love isn't just about someone seeing your faults and saying that it's okay. Love is someone seeing the things that you don't. You have conditioned yourself to be _afraid_ of who you are and what you can do. What you see as a fault, I see as something beautiful and unique. The thing that truly makes love works, that makes it last a lifetime, is that you don't have to understand. I don't understand what you see in me. I'm a man who _literally_ abandoned his family when they needed him most." Elsa opened her mouth to growl at him and tell him he was being ridiculous when he cupped his palm over her mouth. "I don't need you to tell me why you love me. I don't need to understand it. That's what makes love real. I see things in you that I'm sure you don't see in yourself. I see you as strong, impossibly strong, Elsa. I see in you all the things that I'm not. Strong, beautiful, intelligent, caring…perfect," he told her. "You don't need to see it in yourself _because_ I see it. You don't need to understand it, as long as you believe it."

Elsa felt the tears crawling up in her eyes at his sweet words. "Well…" she managed, trying to get passed the lump in her throat. She raised up on tiptoe to kiss him and wrap her arms around his neck. She pulled away suddenly and thumped her fist against his chest. "I'm supposed to be the smart one."

"You can take a break and be the beautiful one," he told her with a smile. "Now, tomorrow, and always."

"Even when I'm no longer twenty-one? When I'm covered in wrinkles and old and ugly?"

"No such day exists, love," he murmured before kissing her again.


	96. Chapter XCV

**Author's Note: I know it's late. I'm getting ready to travel (which you all will be voting about later this week) and I needed to stay cleaning my apartment a little. Anyways, the next chapter is Klaus & Calais and then the last one for the day (which will be up closer to midnight) will be Elsa & Alexander again. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XCV**

Alexander decided that the two of them were in desperate need of a day alone. Since Kristoff had Anna sufficiently distracted, the king decided that there was no time like the present to steal away the woman he loved. The bed that Elsa had fashioned for herself in the palace, on the opposite side of the castle, was much smaller than Alexander had been expecting. His feet hung off the edge of it when they were lying down, the pillows frosty beneath his head. It wasn't the most comfortable that he'd ever been in, but when Elsa clambered into bed beside him, he found himself grateful. The small bed was so tiny that Elsa was forced to mold herself against him and let Alexander wrap his arms around her. Not that she wouldn't have on a normal night, but the close quarters forced it.

Elsa's white hair was brushing under his nose, her arms folded underneath her cheek as a pillow. Alexander threaded his fingers together at the base of her spine, looking up at the glass-like ceiling. He knew she was about to fall asleep, could feel it in her body when she relaxed against him, her body melting against his. "Elsa?" he called softly, twisting his head to look at her.

"No," she grumbled. "I am sleeping."

"I know, but I need you to wake up." He couldn't get one thing that she'd said during the evening out of his head. They flashed like fire in his brain. "I want to talk to you about something." She rubbed her cheek against her hands, moved her head a little, and rested her chin on her knuckles. "You're not…You really want… Are you wanting to go to the Southern Isles with me to hide?"

"Alexander, I'm tired. Can't we go to bed and talk about this in the morning?" she asked him, trying to turn her face away from him.

"You said that you came up here to hide, Elsa. And we both know that you have a habit of running away. You did it when you were a kid. You did it when you got scared during the coronation ball. You did it when Henry hurt you. I am asking you, Elsa, Queen of Arendelle, are you wanting to go with me to the Southern Isles because you're running and hiding?"

"I want to go to the Southern Isles with you because I love you, Alexander. What would I be hiding from?" she asked him.

"Yourself."

"You're putting too much into his, Alex," she muttered, yawning. "I've already embraced the person that I am, remember?"

Making sure that she was still straddling him, he wrapped his arm around her waist and forced her to sit up and look at him. "You haven't, though, love," he told her. "Why isn't there anything like _this_ back in Arendelle? And don't tell me that there is. You've never built a castle there. Your room, that _no one_ sees, is the only room that looks anything like this. You're not afraid of yourself any longer, Elsa, but you don't use your powers like this." He slid his fingers into her hair and cupped her cheeks in his hands. "I'm afraid that you are giving the throne to your sister because you don't think that you can run Arendelle. I'm afraid that you are running away yet again. And, more than anything else, I am worried that if I let you give up the title in Arendelle and give it to your sister, that you'll hate me for it one day."

"Which is exactly what I am worried about if you abdicate the throne in the Southern Isles. That is your legacy, Alexander. Your family built the Southern Isles. You told me about you parents and the work that they've done in the country. How am I supposed to let you give up everything that they've built?" she asked him.

"And how am I supposed to let you give up the chance to make reparations here? Your parents shut down the gates and made the castle a fortress of solitude. You have the chance to fix that. You have the chance to do when my parents did to the Southern Isles and I believe that you are more than capable of doing that. I can't let you give up everything here because you are afraid," he explained,

Elsa flopped herself forward, pressing her forehead against his shoulder. "Obviously, neither one of us actually _wants_ to be in charge of anything," she muttered, her lips brushing his skin as she spoke. "We've said from the very beginning that we didn't want the titles. Now, both of us have the chance to give them up and we're jumping at it."

Alexander chuckled at her, hearing the truth in her statement. Both of them were willing to give up everything for the other, half selfless and half selfish. They wanted to give up everything for the other and free themselves from the titles that neither particularly wanted. "It's not like everything has to be figured out at this exact moment, love," he muttered. "You don't have to decide this very instant and neither do I." But he would feel better if the decision had been made before they went back to sleep. "We have a lifetime to figure things out."

Even after Alexander had gone back to sleep, Elsa lay awake, staring at the nothingness around her. Was he right? Was she running away from herself? It was true that being with Alexander in the Southern Isles would be easier than having to figure out things between herself and Anna. If she was being honest with herself, almost a year after everything had happened, she knew that she was still pushing her sister away. Anna had stopped being herself around Elsa, trying to calm herself down enough to entice Elsa. Maybe she was trying to hide.

Her being in Arendelle was only making complications for everyone. Anna was trying to be someone that she wasn't in order to please Elsa. Of course, when Elsa informed her little sister that she was leaving, Anna would probably fly into a tizzy that would bring the castle crumbling around them. She knew that she needed to make things work between herself and Anna. She knew that it was the truth. They'd only had a year to do so and they hadn't, mostly because of Elsa's own stubbornness. She told Anna that everything was fine, but if she was being honest, the only person that she'd truly let in had been Alexander.

She peered up at him and smiled a little. If someone asked her what it was about the king that made her heart melt, she wasn't sure that she could explain. Oh, he was handsome. That was obvious. He stood so much taller than her. When she'd first met him, his height had been terrifying. He was like some mythical giant from a storybook. To her, his limbs were as thick as tree trunks. She'd imagined them choking the life out of someone. Now, she could only imagine them wrapped around her and soothing away all the pain that was burning inside of her. The square jaw lie that had looked nearly savage with its dusting of scruff was now so dear to her, she couldn't imagine seeing another jaw in front of her when she woke up in the morning.

Alexander mumbled her name in his sleep and wrapped his arms tighter around her waist, dragging her farther up his torso so that her face was lying in the crook of his neck. "Sometimes you're not as smart as you think," she muttered. "You think that you've made it easy for me, since we didn't have to make a decision."

Alexander grumbled in response to whatever he was dreaming about. "I don't know what to do here, Alexander. If I leave Anna, I'm telling her that you're more important than her. And if I let you leave… I don't think that I can watch you walk away from me again." She sighed again, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck and clinging to him. He was right; she couldn't give up the title. But she was right, too. He couldn't give up everything that his family had built. The problem was that she was now faced with a choice.

The sun was just starting to peek out over the hills and filter through the blue glass of her castle when Elsa finally decided that she needed to find some sleep. It was one of the few days that the two would have just to themselves. And with the decision that was lingering in her mind, she wasn't sure when they would ever get a day like this ever again. "I don't know what to do here, Alex. I have to figure this out. Do I pick you? Or do I pick my little sister?"

* * *

**Before you start freaking out, give me a little faith. There is a plan in mind here. Enjoy!**


	97. Chapter XCVI

**Author's Note: There will be one more up tonight. Tomorrow, there will be three chapters up, but I can't give you a time frame. I have work in the morning, a final in the afternoon, and then I'll be back home.  
Also, I'm putting this up on every chapter until Wednesday night: ****Thursday May 8, 2014, I will be traveling back to California. I am giving you the option now. I can post chapters super late at night ****_or_**** I can give you all extra updates on Friday.**** Please start voting now. You need only vote once and then I'll make my decision. Wednesday night, I will let you guys know what the decision is.  
Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XCVI**

Klaus wasn't sure of anything. He didn't know what day it was. He didn't know what time it was. He didn't know where he was. But what was really rattling his brain, what confused him more than anything, was that he couldn't find the angel. She had to be real. Klaus had never been a particularly creative person. There was no way that he'd imagined such sweetness, such softness, such beauty. She had to be real. He remembered the soothing voice, calling him a warrior. He remembered the face glowing in the darkness that surrounded him. No; she had to be real.

Cautiously, trying to avoid causing himself any pain, he rolled himself over to get off of his back. His arm flopped over the side of some bed, landing with a thud over someone's chest. If he didn't miss his guess, it was a woman's chest. He opened his eyes, a frown on his lips as he tried to figure out where he was. Black hair, the color of midnight, stared back at him. He groaned and tried to push himself upright, but only came crashing back down on the bed.

The hair whipped around suddenly, a woman's gaunt, exhausted face practically burning holes in his face with the force of her anger. "If you break my bed, I—" She took a deep breath, her eyes sliding shut. "You need to calm, King Klaus. You'll hurt yourself if you don't." The eyes opened once again, focusing on him this time. "Oh good Lord you're awake," she exclaimed softly, her voice full of wonder. He just stared at her, at the beautiful eyes that were startled and terrified of him. "I'm sure that you're thirsty. The book said that was a side effect of the potion."

She prattled on and on while she gathered whatever it was that she needed. When she finally returned to his side, she didn't stop. She reached beneath his head and cradled him against his chest while she helped him sip down the water. He coughed a little when she pulled away, having swallowed too much in one gulp. "So, the angel is real?" he managed to say. His angel laid her back down on his pillows and tucked the blanket up around his neck.

"I do believe that your description of the Devil's daughter was a more accurate," she replied.

"Does the angel have a name?" he asked, not believing that she was actually Lucifer's spawn. There was no way that was possible. She was far too sweet and far too kind to be a demon.

"Calais," she replied, still fussing over his blankets and pillows.

"There was a siege there," he groaned as she pulled the blankets up to look at the wound on his side, to check the stitching and bleeding. "After the Battle of Sluys in 1340."

"Such pertinent information," she muttered sarcastically, her voice soft. Klaus was sure that she didn't think he'd heard her, but he had, clear as day. "How are you feeling, King Klaus?" she asked him in a louder voice. "I can make another potion up for your pain if that is your wish. I should warn you that the recipe I have seems to knock you on you arse, though." She cleared her throat and looked ashamed. "I mean to say, Your Excellency, that it's very potent and its effects seem to effect you greatly." Knowing that he shouldn't be, Klaus found himself endeared by the paradox that was the woman before him.

She had all the beauty of a queen and yet when she spoke, she had the mouth of some of the sailors he'd traveled with. "King?" she called. The man must be daft. Maybe she hadn't been careful enough. She'd thought she'd kept a fever mostly at bay, but she must have failed because he was staring at her like he'd never seen a woman before. "I'll go and fix another potion."

"No!" Klaus practically shouted.

"Calais? Klaus is calling for his angel again," Elias called into the room. Klaus felt his cheeks tinge red at his brother's word. He must have been delirious for days and calling for the angel. She was the only thing that had made the pain bearable.

"I hear him, Your Highness. I'll deal with it right away," she promised the prince, looking at the King lying in her bed. "It's the potion. As I've said before, it's probably causing him to see things." She pressed to her feet and went back to working in the small kitchen that Klaus could see from where he was lying. Interesting that the lass was defending him. She could easily have told his brother that he was awake and still calling for the angel to stay by his side.

"Miss… Don't you have a family name?" he asked, realizing he had nothing to call her by her first name. It was far too informal, even if Elias thought that it was appropriate.

"I don't have family, Your Royal Highness," she explained. "I'm an orphan."

"Well, Miss Calais, I don't want another potion. If I remember correctly, it's rather vile stuff," Klaus said, deciding that he could at least put a polite title before her name.

"You haven't liked it very much," Callie agreed. "But it does ease your pain."

"The pain is manageable," he cut in.

Callie moved around the room quietly, gracefully. She gathered some bloodied cloths and sweat stained rags. Klaus recognized one of them as his shirt that he'd been wearing for the arrival into the kingdom. It was stained in blood and dirt. She threw them directly into the fire, his best linens burning in the flames. "How long have I been here?" he asked her, looking for where Elias was hiding. "And I heard my brother. Where is he?"

"You've been here for more than a week, King Klaus. The Princes Liam and Lucas have just recently sailed to the Southern Isles. The Princes Elias and Tobias alternate staying here in order to see to your safety," she explained. "Prince Elias was rather distressed at the state of my roof and insisted that he at least put some wood over it to keep the summer storm at bay."

"You've been caring for me for more than a week?" he asked then, thinking over each of the sentences she'd given him while she'd been cleaning. She was putting things away around an armchair now, at least, from what he could see of it. "Miss Calais, could you not help me sit up a little? Perhaps prop me against the headboard?"

She stopped what she was doing and stood upright. "I would, my King, but I don't have a headboard. The mattress hangs from some ropes attached to a piece of rope. There's not way to prop you up. I do apologize. I'm so very sorry—"

"No, don't apologize, miss," he interrupted. It was rude of him to be presumptuous. While all the princes knew the value of hard work and had been taught that they had to _earn_ things, they'd never wanted for things. Klaus had always had a large bed and a headboard and footboard.

"I have been caring for you since you fell through my door, King Klaus," she said, choosing to move on with the conversation. "There is no healer in the village, as your brother took her with him when he left. Your brothers chose to leave you here, after I advised them against it. You condition was much too fragile to be moved, Your Royal Highness. Any jarring could have aggravated the wound. You're rather lucky that you're alive, if you don't mind me saying. A hair deeper and you would've bled out before you could stumble to my home."

"It would seem that God sent me to angel," Klaus said. The girl scoffed and muttered something under her breath that Klaus couldn't hear. "And in your expert opinion, Miss Calais, when could I be moved?" He was quite comfortable where he was. The bed was skinny, his shoulders hanging off. But it was long enough that his lanky form could fit on it. Besides, there was something calming about her presence. He couldn't explain it and he wasn't sure that he wanted to know the answer himself.

Calais.

It was a strange name. Klaus was sure that there was a story behind her life. No one was ever _just an orphan_. Besides, Calais was not a name that an orphanage would give her. No; most of the orphanages were ran by churches. They would've named her Mary or Ruth or Sarah. Someone had cared about her in her life, before she'd become an orphan. Calais took a deep breath and slammed the bowl down on her counter and glared at him. "I'm sure that you must be wanting to return to your grand castle, King Klaus. I know that my cottage is small and not at all good enough for a man of your stature, but until I am ensured of your health, I cannot allow you to leave. Begging your pardon."

She strode outside and slammed the door behind him, leaving only silence in her wake. "So," Klaus muttered to himself. "That's what happens to my angel."


	98. Chapter XCVII

**Okay, so it's a little after midnight. Sorry; I can only type so fast. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XCVII**

Alexander looked at Arendelle with some disdain. He wanted desperately to snatch the reins from her hand and turn her back to the North Mountain. Elsa didn't look any happier about their return to town than he did. He rode beside her, as close as he could get. "I know I wasn't keeping you up all night, so would you mind telling me why you look like you haven't slept?" he asked her, noticing the dark circles beneath her eyes. "Love?"

Elsa felt her heart twist in her chest. "I'm fine; I was just thinking about things and got a little distracted," she replied.

"And that makes you look like you didn't get a wink of sleep?" he demanded, seeing the lie for what it was.

"Well, I was about to fall asleep but there was this little beast who muttered in my ear and wanted to talk to me about the most ridiculous things in the world," she deflected. "I mean, not even the sky was awake when the brat woke me up." Knowing that the mare wouldn't spook, since he'd thoroughly tested the horse before they'd mounted to head home, Alexander hooked an arm around her waist and dragged her to his lap, settling her across the pommel of the saddle and grabbing the mare's reins. "Alexander!" she shouted in outrage. "Oh, you are a controlling oaf."

"Careful, love. People might think that you love me," he said, kissing her cheek. Elsa took another deep breath and gave him a fake smile. Her heart was practically burning at the words. She still hadn't made a decision about what she was going to do. She knew she had to make a decision. The problem was that she wanted both. She wanted Alexander _and_ Anna. She wanted the man she was meant to be with and her sister.

"Where the hell have you been?" Sebastian growled when the pair made it through the castle's gates. "You said you were going for a picnic. Since when does a picnic take two days?"

"It was thirty-six hours, Seb," Alexander said. "What? Did the world fall apart in the day and a half that we were gone?"

"Basically," Sebastian growled, thrusting the missives at his brother. "Don't even bother reading them. I'll just tell you. Klaus has gone missing in Weselton. Liam and Lucas can't find him anywhere." Alexander sighed, not wanting to travel back down to Weselton. But if the people were already turning against Klaus he needed to. "Oh, wait, that's not all. Emily and Oliver wrote to tell you that they're married. Yeah, forgot to tell you that. But we don't have time for that. You can berate me on the way back to the Southern Isles."

"Why are we going back there?" Alexander asked. Oliver had already made it clear that he was interested in someone and, as Elsa had pointed out to him, he'd figured that it was Emily. He didn't need to go and bless that marriage. Oliver had his blessing and the boy knew it. "As long as Ollie got the girl's father's permission, Sebastian, I really don't care."

"If only it were that simple," Sebastian retorted. "This one says that Hans has broke out of jail and they can't find him." He indicated one of the messages. "And this one is a ransom for Christian."

"Christian?" Elsa muttered, her brows furrowed. She looped her arms around Alexander's neck so that he could read the notes. "But that doesn't make any sense. He's supposed to be running things in the Southern Isles." She turned her face to look at Alexander. "What's it say?" she asked him.

"That our brother traded Christian to pirates to pay for passage out of the country," Alexander snarled, crumpling the note and throwing it to the ground. "There aren't many pirates in our waters."

"You think he had help from the outside to order them," Sebastian murmured.

"Probably whoever has Klaus," Elsa said softly. Both men turned to stare at her. "What? It would only make sense. Hans and Weselton have been working together for years. It would make sense that whoever has Klaus, and obviously works for Weselton, would be helping Hans get out of the country. And if they have Klaus, it wouldn't surprise me if Hans appeared in Weselton to take over the crown. He's told us from the very beginning that he was thirteenth in line for the crown and he wanted a kingdom. We've blown apart all his other plans. This may be the last chance that he has to get a throne, to have his own kingdom."

"He's going to be the King of the damn jail," Alexander grumbled. "Seb, take Elsa's horse. Elsa, I know you want to ride your horse and all that, but we have to make time." He heeled his horse into a canter, trying to hold Elsa still and keep her from being jarred around too much. It hurt no matter what he did, but Elsa kept that to herself. She wrapped her hands around his arm to steady herself while they clattered back through the town towards the port. As he'd expected, Sebastian had their small ship ready to depart.

Elsa slid from the saddle first, into Sebastian's waiting arms. He helped her to the ground and waited for Alexander before boarding the ship. Apparently, fate had chosen for her. She was going to get her time with Anna, _real_ time with Anna. She was going to have to stop pushing her sister away. Alexander had to leave her. "I…we…You could come with me, love," he breathed, looking at the boat.

"No; I couldn't. I need to be here, Alexander and you can't be worried about me while you're looking for Christian and trying to get him back." She hooked her arm around his neck and pressed up on her tiptoes to kiss him. "I'm sure that everything will be fine," she promised him, kissing him once again.

"I'll be back before you even know I'm gone," he assured her, his hand coming to cup her cheek. She gave him a sad smile, like she didn't quite believe him. It didn't make any sense to Alex, since he'd already told her what his intentions were. He was going to marry this woman, whether it happened the next day or the next year. "I love you, Elsa. I promise you, I'll be back soon."

"I know; you just have to go and deal with things." And if one of them didn't abdicate, this would be the way it always was. They would always be running from each other to go and deal with things. "I love you too, Alexander. More than anything in the entire world. I love you," she said, kissing him one last night before Sebastian started shouting after Alexander and a rather upset looking Jonas. Elsa watched him walk away from her before she started the slow walk back to her castle.

Perfection could only last so long. Even when she and Alexander were fighting, everything felt perfect. She moved slowly, half in a daze, all the way to her chamber. It wasn't as if she would never see him again. It was just the reality that he plan likely wouldn't work. She climbed up in her bed and grabbed the tunic of his that was still sitting on her bed. She cuddled it to her chest and rolled onto her side. Maybe she could talk to Anna, get her sister to see that her abdicating the throne was the best idea. But the thought of leaving her sister only made her heart hurt worse. "You could've told me you were going to the North Mountain," Anna chastised, bounding through the door without knocking. She'd given up on that after Elsa had promised to stop locking her out. "Elsa?"

Anna looked in terror at her sister. Elsa was curled up in a tight ball, staring at nothing. "Hey. What's wrong?" She climbed up on the bed alongside her older sister. "I can help if you tell me what's wrong," Anna whispered, placing a comforting hand on Elsa's shoulder.

Elsa had never needed a touch as much as she'd needed it at that moment. She lunged at her sister and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's waist, burying her head against her shoulder. Anna was stunned for a moment and then dropped her arms around her sister's shoulders. "It's going to be okay, Elsa. You just want to talk to me. We can figure this out together. It's going to be okay." But her promises didn't seem to make Elsa feel any better.

She knew that she'd had to make a choice. There was no way for her to be the queen of Arendelle, have her sister, and have Alexander. It just wasn't a feasible option. She felt like she'd flipped a coin. Heads, Anna. Tails, Alexander. She'd flipped the coin and gotten the answer, but it wasn't the answer that she wanted. And yet, she knew that if she'd picked the other option, she'd be just as upset. "I love him," Elsa muttered.

"That's supposed to make you happy," Anna said, stroking her sister's hair.

"But not if it takes me away from you."


	99. Chapter XCVIII

**Author's Note: I hate finals week. It's trying to kill me; I swear. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XCVIII**

Sebastian was waving the letter wildly when he came up the stairs. As promised, Jonas had returned to his chamber that evening. Returning to his chamber and knowing that Kayleigh was waiting for him was the greatest pleasure he could've imagined. Especially when he'd come back from the talks with the guards and men and found her curled up like a kitten, waiting for him in his bed. And Sebastian had to come and ruin it all with one little scrap of paper. "We've got problems," he said cryptically.

Jonas couldn't have agreed more. Sebastian was about to be murdered on the floor of the byre by his very own brother. As it was, his arms were still locked around Kayleigh. Since she'd tended to his wounds, she'd shown a little more of herself. Jonas quickly learned that she had a wicked sense of humor, that her laugh tinkled like bells, and she loved to be in the byre or in the stables. At the moment, he'd gathered all of his courage to grasp her about the waist and haul her against his chest, his heart pounding and his body begging for another kiss.

"What's the issue?" Jonas asked, releasing Kayleigh. The healer had quickly learned about the short tempers of the Southern Isles princes. She'd never had an interaction with Sebastian and hoped to keep it that way. So, she slipped her body behind Jonas' and clutched his arm to keep him with her. Jonas gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, wishing that she could not be afraid of just one of his brothers.

"Christian's been taken."

"What?" Jonas roared. Kayleigh flinched, feeling the vibrations rumble out of his chest. "What happened?"

"Hans got out and traded Christian for safe passage on a pirate ship," Sebastian growled. "I'm going to find Alexander. He and Elsa went for a picnic yesterday and haven't been seen since. If you could say goodbye to your little girlfriend so we can get going, I'd appreciate that." He turned to stalk away, mumbling under his breath, "Something in the bloody air. Turning them all into lovesick puppy dogs." Jonas ignored the statement and turned back to look at Kayleigh.

She had a blank look on her face, but Jonas knew that she was anything but unaware. She'd likely seen the exact words that Sebastian had growled and knew that he was going to have to leave her. "Christian is another one of my brothers," he muttered, not quite sure where it was that he should start. "He was the one in charge in the Southern Isles and, as I'm sure you've been told, Hans isn't exactly the greatest human being to ever walk the face of the planet." Kayleigh gave him a half smile. "If we got a ransom note, then they'll have given us some indication of where they're going to be." She nodded her understanding. "Unless they're asking us to sail to the Caribbean, we should be back in a few weeks. A month at most."

Kayleigh didn't like the idea of him being gone. Not because she was afraid that she would be hurt while he was gone, but because of the danger he would be in. She'd heard stories about pirates, about their bloodthirsty attitudes and ruthless reputations. Even if he went with Alexander and Sebastian, there was no guarantee that the three of them could survive an entire crew of pirates. "I'll make sure that Jacob watches over you while I'm gone," Jonas told her. He wasn't sure how he was going to do that, but he would make sure she was safe.

Kayleigh scoffed. She wasn't concerned about herself. No one had made inappropriate advances towards her. Whether that was because Jonas was always with her or not, she wasn't sure. But she didn't think that she was going to be hurt while she was in Arednelle. His safety was more important and it was something that she couldn't be assured of. Especially if she wasn't with him.

Realizing what would solve everything, she latched on to Jonas' arm excitedly. "What is it?" he asked her a chuckle rumbling in his voice. She pointed to herself and then to him. "I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you're not asking me if you can come with me," he growled, his brows falling over his eyes in obvious distaste of the question. Kayleigh put her fists on her hips and stared at him. "We're going to fight pirates, lass. I'm not putting you between them and us. They won't care that you're a woman or that you can't hear. They'll kill you all the same," he told her seriously. Because that wonderful little speech was making her feel so much better about him leaving.

She made a sewing motion with her fingers, holding her hand in front of his face. "I know that you're a healer, but I'm not taking you with Kayleigh. If Christian has need of healing, we'll patch him up as best we can and bring him back here," Jonas assured her. She cut her throat with her fingers. "No one is going to die, Kayleigh. You don't need to be so dramatic." He stepped forward, deciding that he needed to be a little bolder than the usual. He swept his arm around her waist, dragging her forward.

Kayleigh's eyes went wide as she was hauled against his chest, her hands falling to either shoulder as she steadied herself. "I'll be back soon. No one is going to be hurt. We won't have need of a healer. I'm sure that Alexander will cautiously pay the ransom and we'll just take Christian and leave. Everything will be just fine," he promised her again. It hardly made Kayleigh feel any better about it. For weeks, Jonas had been her constant shadow. He'd been behind her every step of the way, making sure that no one even looked at her in the wrong way.

Somehow letting him hold her when the sun was still shining and people could see them felt more intimate than snuggling against him in the moonlight. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gently pressed her face into his neck, holding him close. Jonas misinterpreted her affection for fear of her own safety. He dug his fingers through her hair and promised her that she would be safe while he was away. He knew that she could hear him, but felt better for saying the words. He pulled away an eternity later and caressed the side of her face with his thumb. "Walk with me to the pier," he murmured.

He took her hand in his and led her down to the water at his side. Sebastian had order a ship to be readied for them to depart and head to wherever they needed to go. Kayleigh watched as the men bustled to finish whatever work they'd been given. She followed Jonas' gaze, seeing two horses come flying down the breezeway and to the port. "That' s my cue to leave," he muttered, looking back at her. "I'll be back," he promise, assuring more himself than her.

When Kayleigh nodded, he leaned down and pressed his lips to her cheek. It wasn't what Kayleigh wanted, though. She was surprised at herself, at the desire at burned in her. She wanted him to kiss her like he had two mornings before. Licking her lips nervously, she dipped her head and turned her lips into his, forcing Jonas to kiss her. It wasn't like he offered up much resistance. "Jonas, quit kissing the girl and get on the boat!" Sebastian screamed. "Nick and Noah are only a few minutes away. I want to ship off. Alexander! It's not like they're going anywhere. We're the ones that are leaving!" Neither one of the brothers moved away from their women. Sebastian through his arms up in exasperation. "Bunch of girls!" he muttered and strode to the bell on the deck, dinging it loudly. "Let's go!" he shouted.

Jonas pulled away from her and brushed her hair from her face. Kayleigh stared up at him with stardust in her eyes. At least he'd distracted him from her desire to go with him. He couldn't allow that. He couldn't put her in that kind of danger, even if she had a point about needing a healer. They had no way of knowing what Christian had been put through. He lightly kissed her one last time, deciding to take advantage of it while he could. "I have to go, lass," he told her. "But I'll be back." She held up one finger and gestured to his body, her mouth pursed sternly. "In one piece?" he guessed. She nodded. "Aye, I'll give it my best shot. "

Both Alex and Jonas stood at the railing. Elsa had disappeared back to the castle, but Kayleigh was sitting at the end of the dock and hanging her feet over the edge, clinging to one of the pillars and watching the boat sail away from them. "You two used to be warriors!" Sebastian muttered scathingly. "And now you two are staring after two women on a pier. I repeat: we're the ones leaving!"

Jonas rolled his eyes and muttered something about a pain in the arse older brother. Alexander clapped him on the shoulder, having seen the way that Jonas was staring longingly after Kayleigh. "Don't worry, brother. He'll fall eventually and then," Alexander grinned mischievously, "it'll be our turns."


	100. Chapter XCIX

**Author's Note: Okay, so here's this chapter. The next chapter will tell you all what our dastardly villain is up to. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter XCIX**

"What on earth of you talking about?" Anna was struggling to keep the exasperation from her was the millionth time that she'd asked the question. And just like the nine-hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred ninety-nine times before that, Anna received no reply. Elsa's head was buried in Anna's lap, her arms wrapped tight around her baby sister's waist while she sobbed. It had been more than an hour, but Elsa's tears had yet to stop. Sometimes the woman fell quiet, but Anna could still feel her tears hitting the dress front.

"Anna?" Kristoff called into the chamber, rapping his knuckles against the wooden door. "Is everything okay?" He stepped into the room hesitantly, like he was afraid that he was entering a dragon's keep. Anna stared helplessly at her husband while Elsa sobbed. "Never mind. It can wait. I don't—I don't need to be here," he stammered, backtracking as quickly as possible. Anna pursed her lips in a small glare, wanting a little support from someone. "I think you've got everything handled here. I _definitely_ don't need to be here." Anna's glare intensified, promising him that he was going to regret walking away. At the moment, he didn't care. He couldn't stand tears, especially not tears from people he cared about.

When Kristoff ducked back in hours later, with the intention of accepting his punishment from his wife, he found the two passed out on the bed. Elsa was curled in a tight ball, her arms clutching some fabric that he couldn't quite discern. Anna had her body curled around Elsa's, her chin resting on top of Elsa's. It was the one time in the time that Kristoff had known them that Anna seemed like the older sibling.

Elsa was often so composed and afraid of showing that she was anything less than perfect. Kristoff didn't ask what had happened. His poor wife looked exhausted, clinging to her sister as if she could make it better by holding her just a little bit tighter. He felt out of place in the castle without Anna at his side, but Elsa needed her sister. So, he slid the door shut and looked around in the hallway. "Olaf!" he whisper yelled when he caught the snowman moving through the hallway. "Olaf, where's Alexander?" Kristoff knew that if it was Anna crying like someone had just died, he'd want to know about it.

"Hey Kristoff! Alexander and his brother are on their way out of town to go and save their brother," Olaf said excitedly. Maybe that was why Elsa was crying. _She's probably just worried about him,_ Kristoff decided. He took himself off to the stables, flopping down in a hay bale beside Sven, holding out the carrot to him. "If you don't share, I'm not bringing it out here again," Kristoff warned. The only thing that ever kept him in the castle was Anna and since she was busy, there was no reason for him to be there. Not for the evening, at least.

The next day, Elsa wallowed in misery. When Anna asked her what was wrong, Elsa just told her that she overreacted and everything was fine. "She's driving me crazy!" Anna growled the next evening when she was getting ready for bed. Kristoff was dragging his beanie from his head, waiting for Anna to finish her rant. "I am just trying to help her, but she doesn't care about a single word that comes out of my mouth." She slammed her hairbrush down to the vanity counter.

"Maybe you should stop babying her," Kristoff suggested. Anna swiveled around to stare at him. "You don't act the same way with her that you do with everyone else, Anna. You tend to calm yourself down a little bit and try to…I don't know, to _convince_ her that she should let you help. She's the only person you're like that with, Anna. Quit treating her like she's going to break. Quit being some softened version of yourself and be the woman that I married," he said, pulling his sleeping pants on.

"You are absolutely right," Anna said, her voice quiet. "You're right." She shoved herself to her feet, barely remembering to throw on her robe over her shoulders. "Elsa, I hope that you're decent because I am coming in!" she shouted, shoving the door aside. Elsa was standing at the window, looking over Arendelle. Or, more specifically, at the pier. "Okay, that is enough. I can't do this anymore." Anna stalked straight to her sister and grasped Elsa's shoulders, shaking her roughly. "I need you to talk to me and tell me what happened. I've tried to be understanding. I've let you cry. Now, I need you to tell me what's going on. Why did you say that it was taking you away from me?"

Elsa's gaze shifted from the dock to Anna. "Alexander wants to abdicate the throne in the Southern Isles," Elsa began softly. "But I couldn't let him. I can't. He'll hate me if he gives it up. It's everything that his parents built together. So, I told t-t-told him that I could leave Arendelle." Anna frowned, her eyes sad and hurt. "He told me that I was running away and that I was afraid to be myself. I wanted it all to be perfect, Anna, but it doesn't work that way. I was so stupid. I was trying to figure out who to choose, you or Alexander."

"What?" Anna practically screamed. Elsa nodded and looked back out the window, pressing her hand against the pane.

"I was trying to figure it all out when he had to leave. Christian got kidnapped and they had to go and get him. I guess fate was just trying to prove a point. I don't get to have him, Anna. I keep telling myself that everything would be fine. I keep telling myself that this is the right choice," Elsa murmured, turning back to look at her sister. "I mean, if fate took him away it was because we weren't supposed to be together, right? The timing of everything was just too perfect. I was questioning what I should do about all of this and then he got called away. If that's not someone giving me an answer, I don't know what is."

"Why on Earth would you ever have to choose between us, Elsa?" Anna asked, gently leading her sister towards an arm chair. Now that she was speaking freely, Anna felt that she could calm down a little. "And what was your plan?"

"I thought that I could leave Arendelle and go to the Southern Isles. I thought that I could leave you in charge. I was planning on having us travel back and forth, and then when you felt that you were ready, I thought that you could become the queen and I could stay in the Southern Isles."

"But why would you leave Arendelle? There are more of them in the Southern Isles than there's ever been of us in Arendelle. Alexander could have any of his brothers take over in the Southern Isles. He has twelve brothers and a sister. The only family that we have are one another," Anna said, throwing her hands in the air. "I've been trying for years to get you back. We were strangers living in the same house, Elsa. There are a dozen of them and two of us."

"Anna, that's hardly an argument," Elsa muttered, wiping the tears away from her cheeks. "You wouldn't tell Kristoff that his family isn't as important as yours because there's so many of them."

"That's different. Kristoff is an orphan."

"So is Alexander! He wasn't orphaned when he was five or six, like Kristoff. But his brothers were. And Alexander is the only parent that some of them know. Sure, Liam and Lucas were older and Klaus never really needed anyone, but for Ollie and Jonas and Sebastian and Nick and Noah—"

"I get it, there's a million of them," Anna said.

"We were eighteen and fifteen when our parents died. We knew them, even if they hurt us by keeping us apart," Elsa whispered. "How can I ask Alexander to abandon all of her brothers? And how can I ask the boys to give up the man that has become their father?" She shook her head sadly. "I can't do that to them; and I can't leave you. I've been wrong about you, Anna. Not that I thought you were a bad person or anything like that, but I've been trying to protect you. I've told myself that you were't ready to know everything. I told myself that I needed to protect you from me. I kept you at a distance because I was afraid for you, afraid of what I would do. It was wrong and stupid. I have to pick, Anna. There's no way around it. It's you or Alexander."

Anna frowned, thinking things through. She wasn't ready to let Elsa go. She wasn't sure that she would ever be. They'd been separated for so long, the idea of her leaving was…it was horrifying. But if Elsa really had to choose, _truly_ had to make a decision, not just let fate choose for her, Anna knew that her sister would come to hate her. There had to be another way. _It's you or Alexander_. The words echoed in her brain. Anna narrowed her eyes, staring at her sister with a contemplative look. "What if it didn't have to be?" Anna said.

"What?" Elsa sniffled.

"What if you didn't have to choose? Between me and Alexander, I mean. What if you could have it all?"


	101. Chapter C

**Author's Note: Yay for the official 100th chapter (because I don't count the first chapter; it's the preface). Anyways, I figure after a hundred chapters, you all should know how much I ****_love_**** cliff hangers. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter C**

"Oliver!" Christian shouted, pounding his fist on the door. "You are _married,_ not dead!" It was ten days since his baby brother had gotten married. A week hardly seemed like a long time, but a week of having to pound on his brother's bedroom door _every_ morning was seeming more like an eternity. Christian had heard about the so called honeymoon period after marriage. The first three days, he'd been lenient about their obsession with being together. A week later, however, Christian wasn't quite so understanding. "You have duties that you are shirking!"

"Go away, Christian," Oliver grumbled. _Eleven_ days ago, Christian would've pushed the door open and poured ice over his brother's head. But now, the young man was married and Christian couldn't shoulder his way into the chamber without offending the modesty of a young girl. Well, technically she was married now so she was a young _woman_ but Christian wasn't one to haggle over semantics. Okay…he was, but at the moment none of that mattered. "We'll be up to eat breakfast and do chores in a moment or two. Just…do my chores for me this morning and I'll owe you," he shouted.

"A moment or two, he says," Christian mumbled as he started walking away. "What he means to say is an hour or two. I'll owe you, he promises." He scoffed and turned back to look at the closed wooden door. "This is my wedding present!" he shouted at the door. "Don't expect anything else from me."

He went about his regular morning chores, seeing to the things about the castle that needed seeing to and making sure that the fires had been lit to ward off the spring chill. "Prince Christian! Prince Christian!" a child's voice shouted. Christian turned to see the little boy sprinting up to him. "My papa told me to come and find you. He said that he hasn't seen any of the men around the prison." He took a deep breath, wishing that Alexander or Klaus or Liam or Lucas were home. He'd never wanted the title and no one would convince him that he should take it. While Liam and Lucas had written that they were on their way home, Christian knew that they were still several days away. Until someone who was better at leading was home, Christian was the only person there.

He'd never really realized what his brother went through on a daily basis. There was not a single hour that passed where someone wasn't calling for him, asking him to help, begging him for something or another. It was still early, the sun barely rising in the sky. The men had probably fallen asleep watching the prisoners. Heaven knew that he'd done the same countless times when Alexander had put him to the duty. "Thank you for telling me, Ben. I think the cook made some fresh apple fritters. Go down and get yourself one in reward for your job."

The boy skipped happily on his way while Christian trudged with leaden feet towards the prison. His exhaustion made his brain slow, made every synapse fire at half speed. "Will someone please make me some damn coffee?" he grumbled, more to himself than to everyone else. "There should be some damned perks to being the temporary king. You know; something like having a maid who can bring me coffee." He took the stairs slower than he should, and well he knew it. He grumbled about coffee and the need for something to wake him up the whole way down to the prison.

But nothing could've prepared him for what he found.

The men were sprawled at the ground, blood sprinkling the ground. "What the devil…?" he trailed off, rushing down the last stairs to kneel at the ground. The pulses were still strong, thudding against his fingers as he checked every man. It was only once he was sure that every man was still alive that Christian looked up at the prison cells. The iron gate was swinging from it's hinges, wide open. Hans leaned against the frame, swinging the keys from his index finger.

"Good morning, brother," Hans greeted. "I have to say, Alexander would probably be disappointed if he saw that," Hans continued, waving his index finger at the men on the ground. "They were far too easy to subdue and you spent _way_ too much time making sure that they were still alive. I could've easily conked you over the head and knocked you unconscious while you were looking over them." He clicked his tongue in chastisement. "Not very good at all."

"But you didn't knock me out. So what is it that you're wanting?" Christian asked, trying to discretely slide his bow into his grasp.

Christian was the archer in the family. It would only take him a moment to slide the bow down his arm and draw the arrow into position and launch it into his brother's chest. Oliver may have had qualms about killing his own brother, but Christian couldn't bring himself to care anymore. Hans wasn't the boy that he'd grown up with; not any longer. He'd become a selfish, greedy, power hungry monster. He needed to be stopped. He clearly had no hesitation about hurting people, even people that had knowing him his entire life. "You were never good at fighting, Hans. How'd you knock out all the guards?"

"It wasn't hard," Hans replied. "I smacked that one over the head sometime around midnight and took the keys. Alexander may have trained them all to fight to the death, but he's made one major flaw. They all _care_. How can you have warriors do anything when they stop to make sure no one is dead every time they see a man on the ground?"

"Not everyone is heartless, Hans. And fighting on the battlefield is different than fighting right here, in our own backyard," Christian snarled. Hans reached into his back, pulling the pistol out of his waistband and twirling it around his other finger. "Don't be stupid, Hans."

"I'm not. You see, you all have ruined everything that I had set into motion here," Hans snarled. "Now, you have a choice here, brother. You can either come along with me and do as I ask, _or_ you can cause the death and destruction of everyone on this damn island."

"What makes you think that I'm going to believe that you have anything planned?" Christian retorted. "You've been alone in this cell for _weeks_."

"Are you truly going to risk it? I mean, just look at what I've pulled off from inside the prisoner cell. What makes _you_ think that I can't pull off something from where I am? You know, like a keg of black powder in the market place that will only take a moment or two to ignite," Hans explained.

"It's not like I can trust you. Even if I do let you take me wherever it is that you want to go, I have no guarantee that you'll let everyone live," Christian pointed out.

"Well, you can run the risk of me having a bomb around me. _Or_ you can take the gun, pretend to put shackles on me, and walk me back to the docks. It's that simple. If anyone asks, you're transporting me back to Arendelle for my punishment. You know, since our dear king has given up the kingdom in exchange for the woman that he loves."

Christian thought over things. Hans was right. The man had been more than devious in the prison and had already managed to escape more than once. It was completely possible that the man had managed to get something as big as a bomb set up in the village market. "Fine," Christian agreed. "Give me the gun." When Hans handed it over, Christian unloaded the bullets, tossed them into the depths of the cell and threw the pistol itself on the ground. "Let's go."

Christian pretended to be holding Hans' arms behind his back while they walked through the town. Most of the village was asleep or not paying full attention as Christian walked him. "On board of this ship," Hans said, nodding his chin towards the ship. "Captain," he greeted when they were fully aboard. "Do you have my boat and men?" Hans asked.

"Do you have my payment?" a man asked, stepping forward. He wasn't an overly tall man, but his shoulders were wide enough to carry a full grown man on each.

"He's here. In the flesh," Hans said, pushing Christian towards the crew.

"Excuse me?" Christian snarled. Hans saluted him and headed for a gangplank that was balanced between the ship they were on and a smaller boat beside it. "Where do you think you're going? Hans!" Christian lunged for his brother, but men from the crew around them came forward and trapped him to the deck. He struggled wildly, watching Hans start to sail away on his smaller vessel. "Hans! You're going to pay for this! Hans!" He broke free long enough to draw his bow and shook it into the market place, hoping that it would embed itself into something that Oliver could find. "Let me go, you bastards. Let me go!" Christian growled.

The captain waved a bored hand at his crew. "Shut him up, will you," he said dismissively. It took four of the men to hold Christian still long enough for another to step forward, The blunt handle of a sword came down on his head, the darkness closing in before he could fight it off.

Before he could warn his brothers.


	102. Chapter CI

**Author's Note: Okay, so I've had exams all morning and work all afternoon. There will only be TWO CHAPTERS TONIGHT AND TOMORROW while I finish up exams. Also, if you haven't already voted about Thursday, please do so. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter CI**

"I don't think you heard what I said, Anna," Elsa said, standing to her full height and staring at her sister. "I can't ask Alexander or his brothers to give each other up and I'm not going to give _you_ up. I've been stupid in regards to you and I." Anna was glad to have heard that, but she couldn't let her sister hate her because Elsa had to give up Alexander. There was a solution. Anna was just going to have to speak while she figured things out in her brain.

"What if, and I'm just spit balling here, but what if you married Alexander and _kept_ both kingdoms?" Anna suggested in a slow voice.

"I already thought about that, remember? You were supposed to take over eventually," Elsa reiterated.

"But what if I didn't take over? Elsa, I can't do. I just couldn't. I mean, how do you even deal with everyone's problems when they come to you? I never really know what to say. I mean, what do you do when they ask you about things? I just start to babble when I get nervous and how am I supposed to answer questions if there's word vomit coming out of my mouth."

"Just like now," Elsa said with a laugh. She rested her temple against on Anna's shoulder and smiled up at her. "You can learn, Anna. It's all about hiding what you're really feeling. You put on a mask and make sure that no one knows what you're thinking and then you just listen," she explained.

"I can't _do_ that, Elsa. I'm not made to control myself or my emotions or whatever. It's not my thing. I enjoy blabbering and saying anything that comes to mind. Mom and Dad fostered that in me. While you were busy locking yourself away and hiding yourself beneath your gloves, I was busy trying to make friends. Do you have any idea how desperately I was for any semblance of a relationship? I talked with pictures on the wall, Elsa!" she said. "But we don't have to be afraid anymore. We don't have to keep our distance anymore, not from each other and not from the people. You keep saying that they don't ant you but they just don't know you. If you would just give them a chance, Elsa, I'm sure that everything will be fine."

"But this is all contingent on me staying in Arendelle, Anna. This doesn't give Alexander his kingdom," Elsa pointed out.

"But it would if you traveled back and forth. Think about it. The snow doesn't set in until late in the year and it melts in early March. What if, instead of having some great castle, you two had a great boat?"

"You mean a ship," Elsa corrected. Alexander had once drilled her about the different when she'd called the ship he'd arrived on a boat.

_"__The two are _**_not_**_ interchangeable," _Alexander had growled at her. _"A ship is square rigged and has three masts. A boat isn't. Now, does that have three masts?" _

_"__Yes."_

_"__Is the bottom of it squared off?" _

_"__Yes."_

_"__And that, my dearest love, is a _**_ship_**_, not a boat."_

"Yeah, sure whatever," Anna said, jarring Elsa out of the happy moment of memories. "Back that what I was saying, if you two had a grand _ship_ instead of a castle, you could travel back and forth. It's only five days between Arendelle and the Southern Isles. If you were to travel each month, that's ten days of travel. Every months has an average of thirty days. That means that you could spend twenty days, on average in each country," Anna said, her mind going a million miles an hour. "What could happen in twenty days, Elsa? Nothing that I couldn't handle if I needed to. Besides, if you were gone for two or three weeks at a time, you could still receive mail and respond. Everything could be just fine."

"And… What? I would just be the _queen by marriage_ in the Southern Isles?" Elsa asked. It couldn't possibly be this simple. "And I hate sailing, Anna. I was sick nearly the entire time."

"But when we came back from the Southern Isles, you were hardly sick at all. I think that you'll get used to it, Elsa. And if you guys had a ship that you felt welcome on, one that felt like your home, you would be just fine. You could be Alexander's wife in the Southern Isles and he could be _your_ husband in Arendelle. He doesn't have to have a say here and you don't have to have a say there."

"But that doesn't make things easier for us, Anna. If I'm gone six months out of the year," Elsa trailed off, but Anna was already shaking her head.

"You'd spend one winter here and one winter in the Southern Isles. That's three whole months that you would have to put up with me. By the time that we finished winter every other year, I think that we could be just fine. _As long as_ you don't keep shoving me away. But I can't let you give everything up. I can't let you say goodbye to him and I refused to let you go."

"And this is all solved by me _not_ giving up the throne and _not_ giving up Alexander?" Elsa asked, her head cocked to the side. "I will still be gone more than half of the year every other year."

"Do you want to know a secret?" Anna said, looking up at her sister with those innocent, wide blue eyes. Elsa nodded. Anna seemed so hesitant, like she was afraid of what it was that she was about to say. "I've always admired you, Elsa. You are the only person I've ever known, at least until Kristoff, that is so strong. Our parents made sure that we were separated. And, for the most part, I understood it. It was the only way they knew to protect us. After everything that they've done, Elsa, you still took the crown. You could've said no. You could've made someone else take over. The Duke of Weselton would've done it gladly. You took the throne, without a man by your side. Do you have any idea how incredible that is? There are very few women in the world that could've done this, but you managed it. You have made things in Arendelle so much better, even after it's been closed off for so long. Our parents did this country a disservice and you're managing to fix things, to put them back together. I know that it's going to take time and that you're worried about it. But I can't let you give this up, not on Arendelle, not on us, and not on Alexander. I admire you for that, Elsa. I love that you don't actually _need_ someone at your side to rule. I wish that I could be more like you."

Elsa slowly processed every word that had come out of her sister's mouth. She wouldn't agree that she was the best person to run Arendelle. She wouldn't agree that she'd been doing a good job. But she had her sister's admiration. It was something that she'd honestly never thought that would happen. Not that she didn't think that Anna could like her. Elsa just couldn't understand how someone could want to be like her. Especially not after the things that she'd done during the Great Freeze. "You don't have to be here every single day, Elsa. The two of you could travel back and forth. You can still be queen and be happy. We can still have a relationship if you let me in."

"I know that I've been wrong about this," Elsa said, waving a hand between the two of them. "Do you want to know a secret?"

"You hate building snowmen? That's why you locked me out for fifteen years." Elsa giggled and sank down into the bed together, watching the wind whip leaves through the air behind the window.

"No; I love building snowmen. When the trolls told our parents that you wouldn't remember everything about the way that we played, I was worried that you wouldn't like me," Elsa whispered, her voice soft. "We always had so much fun with my powers and… I pushed you away because I didn't want to hurt you. They erased everything I could do from your memory. And I decided to try to erase myself from you, too," Elsa muttered. "It's why I didn't come out of the chamber, even after Mom and Dad died. I figured that you'd forgotten me."

"I never forgot you," Anna said. "I just gave up on talking to you, Elsa. I tried for some many years and you didn't care. I could never forget you."

"And then I was afraid that you would blame me," Elsa continued, the first honest conversation that she'd had with her sister in so long. "You are such a social person, Anna. You do so well with other people. It was because of me that you weren't allowed to go outside and be with people, why your only friend were paintings. I would understand if you blamed me for it."

"Like I could ever blame you. You're my sister," Anna said, snuggling in close and wrapped her arms around her sister's waist. "And as your sister, I'm telling you to trust me. Let Alexander marry you and travel between the countries. I don't mind sharing you, as long as I get to have you around for _at least_ five months out of the year."

"Do you know what I want after crying all night?" Elsa asked her.

"Um, water to replenish all that you lost. You nearly drowned me."

"Nah, I was thinking some," she bit her lip and winged her eyes upright to look at her sister who caught the meaning almost instantly.

"Chocolate!" they shouted simultaneously.


	103. Chapter CII

**Author's Note: As promised, here is the second chapter tonight. Tomorrow will be much the same because of my schedule. Sorry all! Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Chapter CII**

"You probably need some food if you're going to regain your strength," Callie said. She'd walked out of the cottage earlier in the morning, frustrated with Klaus. He hadn't meant to offend her or insinuate that he wanted to leave. In all truth, he was quite comfortable in the small cottage. Calais' presence was comforting to him, in a way that he couldn't explain. She was an interesting person, a combination of prickliness and warmth that could draw in anyone. "Prince Elias went back to trade positions with Prince Tobias," she was explaining as the water was bubbling on the stove.

"You do know that you could call them Elias and Tobias?" Klaus said. "And you don't have to call me King Klaus," he added. Why he wanted her to call him Klaus, he wasn't sure. There was a great deal about her that he didn't comprehend.

"Of course, Your Excellency," she replied. Klaus dropped his shoulders into the mattress and let his eyes drop closed. He just wanted her to say his name without a title before it. Was it really so difficult? "I have some vegetable stock for you, Your Royal Highness. I don't have any carcass to use to make you other stock, but it should only be a few days of having vegetable stock before I can send you back to your castle, my King," she explained to him. "You'll be out of this slum before you know it."

"Your home is not a slum," Klaus said, his voice darker than he intended. He shouldn't care what the girl thought about her home. He shouldn't care that her collarbones were just a little too prominent. He shouldn't care that he had yet to see real food in her home. She seemed to subsist off of vegetables and water. "It's quite lovely, Miss Calais."

"You do realize that I'm nothing more than a common peasant, Your Highness. I don't need a title before my name," she told him, coming back to his side. She slid her arm up and cradled him against her. He was finally awake for longer than a few moments, since Callie hadn't given him the potion again. The pain was nearly unbearable and he was weak as a newborn kitten, but Klaus was grateful that he was awake. He'd taken for granted waking up clear headed and knowing where he was.

"I've added some cold stock to the boiling. It should keep the liquid from burning you," she explained, She tipped the wooden bowl to his lips and dripped the liquid into his mouth.

"Don't you eat meat, Miss Calais?" he asked her when she'd brought the bowl away and was bustling around to fix her own helping. The girl shouldn't be eating something that didn't hold protein to it. She was far too skinny as it was. She needed beefsteaks and potatoes and cheese curds, not watered down stock.

"Of course I do," Callie replied, adding some noodles to her own stock. "Why do you ask?"

"You said you have no animal carcasses to make stock from and I haven't seen you eat anything other than vegetables," he explained, hoping that he hadn't offended her.

"I have a small vegetable garden, Your Excellency," she said, grabbing a slice of bread and dunking it into the broth. She sank to the ground beside the bed and rested her chin on her knees. "It's what I use for the majority of my food, Sire. I have some dry meat that I purchased from a hunter who was passing through the area."

"Why don't you take your foods to market? The broth is good, very flavorful." Klaus didn't bow down to anyone, but he found himself desperately trying to scale the wall that she was creating. "You could make enough money to purchase more than dried meat."

"I'm not welcome in town," she said simply, brushing her hair away from her face. "When you are feeling stronger, my King, I can ask your brothers to bring you some meat." He could ask his brothers to bring her some meat, too. She needed something solid to eat. Something more than just bread and pasta.

"And when would I be allowed to eat that food, Miss Calais?" he asked, his stomach grumbling at the thought of food.

"When you can walk around the chamber without wanting to die," Callie muttered darkly. She spooned a little more into her mouth and looked up at him again.

"Why is it that you're no longer welcome in the village?" Klaus pushed, shifting himself around a little to try and look at her. "You're far too young to have been banished, aren't you?"

"Too young?" Callie repeated, leaning back against the small table that ran perpendicular to the swinging bed.

"Aye, Miss Calais. In the Southern Isles, no one can be exiled until their eighteen. My brother made the rule to protect children that had been forced to do illegal things for their parents," Klaus explained. Callie could only wished that things were like that in Weselton. She wouldn't have been exiled when she was little more than a child.

"Well, this may come as a shock to you, King Klaus, but I am twenty-two. Old enough to be exiled, even by Southern Isles standards," she replied curtly, stuffing the bread into her mouth.

"Since I'm the new king," Klaus said, his eyes narrowed, "I would like to know what your offense was."

"Things that I didn't have a choice to go against," she replied cryptically. "It's none of your concern, Your Highness. I've lived in this cottage for more than a decade." Klaus frowned at the ceiling. He would've cocked his head to the side and stared at her, waiting for further explanation. Most of his life had been very entitled. While his parents had forced all the princes to work the jobs that were required by the "peasantry," all of them had been privileged. They wanted for nothing, including obedience. Klaus had always known that he should be a king. It was what he was built to do. He had a gift for understanding both parties and finding a compromise between the two of them. His father had been careful not to let that trait manifest itself in arrogance, but Klaus had always been given obedience from everyone around him. His title and mere _air_ demanded it.

Callie, however, didn't care about the King who was wanting to know about her life. She wasn't going to tell him. If she wanted things to move on in her life, she couldn't tell him. Klaus wanted to find out about her life. He wanted to help her, to find a way to make whatever she'd done excusable. "You can stare at me all you'd like, Your Excellency, but your arse is more likely to spontaneously light on fire than I am to give you an answer," she told him. "An answer to a question that you haven't asked, by the way." She pushed to her feet and gathered her things, heading to the basin of water.

"You said that you've lived here for a decade? That would have made you little more than a ten-year-old when you moved here."

"It's good to see that you know your arithmetic," she grumbled. It had only taken a few short hours for Klaus to figure the girl out. She receded into her prickly shell the moment that she felt threatened. "I was almost eleven," she answered louder. She'd been alone so long, she didn't even realize that she was speaking louder than she thought.

"You were only a child," Klaus protested. He tried to lift himself to a better position, the bed swinging precariously. It creaked and moaned before Klaus' shoulders rolled over the side.

"You foolish man!" she shouted, lunging back to her bed and managing to catch Klaus before he could hit the ground. The dishes that she'd been eating off of clattered to the floor noisily, splashing water over everything. "If you want help with something, you only need to ask me. Are you bloody brainless? Or are you just too damned stubborn to realize that you can't do anything on your own?" She lifted him back into bed and placed him on the mattress. She grunted with her efforts, but managed to do what she needed to.

Klaus watched as she perched herself on the edge of the mattress and leaned over him, her eyes narrowed and dark with her frustration. "You are hurt, you great boor. You are not able to lift your own head for water. I'm sorry that you find me such unbearable company, though I understand it perfectly well. But you need to be in this bed until I say that you are healed. Whether you want to or not," she snarled at him.

Klaus expended most of his energy to swing his hand up to the nape of her neck. He pulled her closer, her lips just a breath away from him. Calais could feel the heat burning from him, the telltale sign that he'd taken the fever she'd so valiantly fought. His brain was delirious, addled from the fever. "I don't think that you're unbearable company, angel," he murmured, pulling her down to him.


	104. Chapter CIII

**Author's Note: I'll still try and get a chapter up before midnight. Sorry it's so late. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter CIII**

Alexander wanted nothing more than to be back in Arendelle. Or the Southern Isles. Hell, he wouldn't even mind being on the ship if he had Elsa at his side. He stared at the boards that made up the ceiling of the deck. The waves were rocking the vessel, like a cradle or the chair that his mother used to rock him to sleep in when he'd been a child. It could have been comforting; it could've easily rocked him to sleep. Instead, it made him think of how swiftly Elsa would have fallen asleep if she'd been by his side.

It was strange, Alexander was learning, to miss people's warmth and mere presence beside you. Missing Elsa's warmth was even more amusing, since she was the ice queen to the rest of the world. What they didn't know about was the way that Elsa could burn. No one knew the way that she would burst into flames. No one knew the way that her nails could dig deliciously into his skin. No one knew the way that her body warmed as she was pressed against his side. They may think that she was the ice queen, but in reality, Elsa was the warmest person he knew.

He rolled himself over onto his side, swinging the hammock straight into the wall. He groaned when his face collided with the wood and gave up. Sleep wasn't going to come to him. Not until he was back in bed beside Elsa. Which meant that it was going to be a long couple of weeks.

The ransom note was dated nearly two weeks before Alexander had received it. They gave the coordinates to an island that he remembered off the coast of one of the other countries. A country that was at least sixteen days away from Arendelle. Which me ants that he would be gone more than a month, if the weather was absolutely perfect and there was nothing hindering them. Of course, all of this was contingent on Christian still being alive. It was something that he doesn't want to think about, not even consider. He knew the reality. That Christian had been a prisoner on a pirate ship for more than two weeks; that Christian would have to remain prisoner on the ship for another two weeks while they fought to get to him.

"Couldn't sleep either?" he asked Jonas when he got to the main deck. Jonas was sitting at the bowsprit, his back against the wood as he looked up at the sky. As was the norm with Jonas, he just shrugged and grunted in response to his brother's question. "Kind of hard to realize there's somewhere you'd rather be, huh?"

"I don't want to be anywhere else," Jonas replied. "I want to be on this ship, on our way to go find Christian. I just want someone else here with me." He gave a breathy snort of a chuckle. "I'm sure you get that, right?"

"I guess I hadn't thought about it that way," Alexander admitted. He sank down beside his brother and nudged his shoulder roughly. "When did you get so smart, kid?" he asked. Jonas cracked a smile and just shrugged again. He'd never been a big one for talking, but Alexander couldn't help but notice that the need to converse had waned even mere since Jonas had befriended Kayleigh. "Hey, if I ask you about Kayleigh, would you answer me?" he asked.

"If you promise not to ever tell her. She might stab me in my sleep if I said something that I wasn't supposed to," Jonas replied easily.

"Kayleigh? I hardly think she's the violent type," Alexander said, a little shocked.

"That's because you don't really know her. Kayleigh is far tougher than any of us realize," Jonas said softly. "But, as your questions, brother."

"Does she still hate me?" Alexander asked him. Elsa wanted to keep Kayleigh in Arendelle as the healer, which meant that Alexander was going to have to make peace with the girl. He fully intended to be with Elsa as much as possible, which meant being in Arendelle and being around Kayleigh.

"You broke her trust, Alex," Jonas said. "If I'd yelled at Elsa the way that you yelled at Kayleigh, we probably would've come to blows over it."

"It's not like she heard me _screaming_ or anything," Alexander muttered, pointing out the fact that she was deaf.

"That only makes it worse," Jonas said. "I don't think you realize how smart she is. Kayleigh looks at everyone's lips and is able to decipher what they're saying. She's so intelligent, Alex, and she won't ever trust men. Not after what's happened to her." Alex frown and Jonas frowned again. He wasn't sure how much he should reveal. "Kayleigh went deaf when she was five and because a whore for the king after her illness had passed," Jonas said simply. He wasn't going to say more. He couldn't betray that from her. It was the story that anyone in Weselton would be able to tell him.

"But…she was a child. How could she have—" Alexander's mouth fell open in obvious disgust as he realized what it was that Jonas was saying. His stomach heaved against it as his brain processed. He could imagine his own little girls that he wanted with Elsa. He could see them with Elsa's white hair and blue eyes, peering up at him with the laughter that was so easily shown by the woman he loved. He couldn't understand how someone could want to ruin such innocence and purity. "She told you all of this?" Alexander asked, fighting the urge to lean over the railing and vomit. Jonas just nodded, remembering his own reaction when she'd told him the story. "When I yelled at her, what did that…"

"I don't know if it was the yelling as much as it was the way you loomed over her. She needs her personal space, especially from men. I can't say that she's ever going to trust you fully, but I can't say that she's ever going to trust anyone. It's just not who she is or will ever be," Jonas insisted. But even as he said it, there was a problem with his logic. Kayleigh trusted him. She believed in him, knew she could rely on him.

Jonas had come up to the bowsprit because he needed the air. He couldn't breath down in his hammock. All he could think about was Kayleigh. He could smell her, see her. But he couldn't hold her. He couldn't touch her. What he was seeing and smelling were only the lingering memories of her and he wanted the real thing. "Elsa asked her to be the healer in Arendelle," Alexander muttered. His brother deserved to know. Whatever drove her to his side, whatever demanded that he stay with her would be effected by Elsa's request. "Has she talked about whether or not she wants to take it."

"I'm assuming she does, but no; she hasn't said anything. She doesn't trust you or Nick or Noah; who knows if she trusts Sebastian. Probably not," Jonas said, a sadness in his voice. "With the way that she feels about men, I doubt that she would ever feel comfortable in the Southern Isles. It's overrun by men. Arendelle, on the other hand, is run by women. And, as Sebastian has so aptly pointed out, they infect the testosterone in the men." Over the last four days at sea, it had become evident that Sebastian had no tolerance for them. "She'll feel better about staying in Arendelle."

"And you'll stay with her, won't you?" Alexander guessed. Jonas just shrugged, but even he knew the truth. "It's okay, Joe. We're all growing up. Tobias and Elias are in Weselton, building their own new lives. Klaus has his own kingdom, even if he's missing at the moment. Oliver's married and…Oliver is _married._ Damn; I didn't even think about that until like two seconds ago. Oliver, little _Ollie, _is married."

"I get your point," Jonas said, though he was having his own time dealing with it. Oliver was his age, only a few minutes younger. And he was married.

"I guess it won't be all us princes against the world anymore, huh?" Alexander muttered. It wasn't something that he'd considered before. Everyone was splintering off and becoming individuals. They weren't just princes of the Southern Isles anymore. They were something so much more than just princes any longer. For more than a decade, it had been the princes against the rest of the world. For more than a decade, it had been Alexander struggling to protect his brothers and his family. For more than a decade, it had been a struggle to find Zoe and get her back. It was almost unthinkable to realize that it wouldn't be like that anymore, that they would all be separated.

"Nah," Jonas said, bumping his brother's shoulder and jarring him from his thoughts. "It'll be all us brothers taking over the world." Jonas dropped his arm around Alexander's shoulders. "We just have a few more allies to do it with."


	105. Chapter CIV

**Author's Note: The decision has been made based off of your votes. I will be posting chapters late at night tomorrow/early morning Friday. Also, regarding this chapter, we'll have a time jump (back in time) to give you an explanation. Okay? Enjoy & review!**

* * *

**Chapter CIV**

If it wasn't for the setting of the sun, Alexander was certain he wouldn't know time. He hadn't slept in days. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Elsa. She was the most delicious plague that could ever haunt someone. He could see the last time that he'd woken up before her, her hair a mess about the pillow, around his chest. White gold, shimmering in the early morning light. It was all he could see every time that he closed his eyes. The best nightmare that anyone could dream of.

He and Jonas got closer over the nights. It would seem that ones was as plagued by a woman as he was. Alexander couldn't pretend that he understood. Oh, sure, he understood longing and desire, but he didn't understand how those two things effected his little brother. Not with Kayleigh. The woman was skittish around him, constantly trying to keep him at a distance. Knowing what he did about her past, the little that Jonas had told him about it, he understood how he'd betrayed the girl's trust and willingness to help him. Kayleigh just didn't hold any appeal to him.

But he couldn't say anything to Jonas. He wouldn't. He doubted that the ice queen held any appeal to Jonas. Love was too personal. It didn't matter if other people understood. Jonas loved Kayleigh. Alexander loved Elsa. The only people who needed to a say in that relationship were each other. "If Kayleigh really wants to stay in Arendelle, are you going to stay with her?" Alexander asked one evening.

"If Elsa really refused to give up her throne, would you stay with her?" Jonas retorted simply.

They were only three days from the coordinates they'd been given when the storm came rolling through. The boys worked like parts of the crew, as their father had taught them. They tied the ropes around their waists to make sure no one got lost at sea. The waves battered the ship. Dorsey braced his peg leg and flesh against the wheel well, holding the wheel tight in his grasp, fighting against the tug of the current and the wind that was threatening to pull everyone overboard. It took them days to get through the storm, days that they didn't have.

Three weeks after they'd set sail from Arendelle, Alexander and his brothers finally made it to the coordinates that they'd been given. The island was nestled back in the waves, the dark clouds for boding overhead. "You don't think it's a bad sign, do you?" Noah asked, bumping into Jonas' shoulder. Jonas rolled his eyes and turned away from him. "We're moments away from getting our brother back. We'll have our entire family together and you're going to ignore me? I didn't mean to hurt her, Joe. You could at least acknowledge that I exist." Jonas just kept himself silent. "Have we learned nothing over the last ten years? We have had our family ripped apart for ten years!"

"What do you want me to say?" Jonas asked him, fisting his hands together and fighting the urge to pummel the man. "Noah, we've been tell you and Nick for _years_ that you guys couldn't go around treating people the way you do. We've told you for years that you can't pull practical jokes on people that you just met. Do you any bloody idea about her life? Do you know what she's lived through? No! You don't. And you have no bloody clue what you did to her that day."

"You're right and I'm sorry. _We're_ sorry," Noah corrected. "Look, it was obvious that you care about the girl and we just wanted to play a prank. It was our way of welcoming her to the family. And yes, it was misguided. Yes, we were idiots, Yes, we should've realized that she wasn't all there—"

"She's deaf, not brainless. That girl is probably more intelligent than any of us," Jonas snapped, turning around to stare at his brothers.

"We thought that she was mute," Nicholas said, coming up behind the two of them.

"I get that," Jonas murmured, relaxing a little bit. "Thats part of the intelligence that I was talking about. Kayleigh reads lips; that's how she's able to understand what you say. So long as you look at her, she understands just fine."

"That's incredible," Noah said in awe. "We assumed that she was mute, since she was making all those hand gestures."

"I forget sometimes," Jonas admitted. He couldn't stay ad at his brothers. They were stupid and misguided, just as they'd said, but there was nothing that could be done to change what had happened. Jonas could only protect the girl that he'd come to need like he needed oxygen, and forgive his brothers. "Believe it or not, I forget that she's deaf. She's so adept at reading lips and understanding people around her; sometimes, I forget that Kayleigh isn't actually hearing."

"How did she go deaf?" Nick asked. "Or was she born with the affliction?"

"She got sick when she was a child." He was getting tired of talking about it, of having to explain Kayleigh to people. "Look, I'm not going to tell you the things that have happened to her. It's not my information to tell. Things are going to be tense between the three of us for a while. I'm not going to promise that everything will magically be okay, but I'll try."

"Could we stop being girls and _trying to have a relationship with one another_?" Sebastian snarled. "There's a ship, just over there against that dock."

The three men whipped around to stare at the ship, flying the skull and crossbones. Pirates. The sky seemed to darken a little as they came closer to the boat. "Run up the white," Dorsey called, though no one had told him to do so. Alexander didn't even acknowledge that the command had been given, his attention solely focused on the vessel that was floating in the docks in front of them. It was a good looking ship. The wood was dark and the trim was gold. It was everything that Jonas thought that it should be. It looked grand, large, undoubtedly housing all the treasures they'd stolen. But for all of its grandeur, it looked equally menacing. There were plenty of areas for the cannons to poke through. There probably thousands of pounds of black powder beneath that deck, hiding in that hull. "Be prepared for battle, boys."

Alexander already had his sword and pistol. Each boy had gathered the things that he wanted to fight with. They would take their brother back, come hell or high water. The gangplank was flopped down between the ships, Alexander crossing before anyone could try and stop him. The first thing that he noticed was that Christian was no where in sight. Nor was a captain. The men were swabbing the deck and clambering up the ropes and netting on the sides. "Who is in charge?" Alexander demanded, looking anywhere for his brother.

A man stepped forward, small in stature. A hat was brought low over the brim of the man's eyes. He was truly petit and rather slim. In fact, Alexander was fairly certain that his arms could fit double around the lad. "This be our first mate," someone growled at him in a dark voice. "You must be the prince's brothers. We've been waiting for you all. I admit, I thought that there'd be more of you."

"Who are you?" Alexander growled to the man who was talking. "Where's my brother?"

"You're not getting him back," the first mate said, the voice higher than Alexander had been expecting. "So you can leave."

Alexander lifted his hand, the pistol pointed directly at the man. The eyes that were staring at him were lavender, clearly purple. How could a man inspire fear in people when his eyes were the color of flowers? The scarf was wrapped tight around the mate's nose and cheeks, only revealing the eyes that were nearly obscured by the hat pulled low over the purple eyes. "Bring me my brother this minute, or every single one of you will be dead," Alexander warned.

"You be threatening our captain and his mate?" the same man who'd spoken earlier asked.

"I'm threatening everyone on this ship. Bring me Prince Christian." He hadn't traveled for three weeks to get his brother only to have the man held away from him. "We have your ransom in the trunk," he added, hoping to give them an incentive to bring out his brother.

"He ain't leaving!" the first mate squeaked again.

"Fine then," Alexander said, pulling back the hammer and pointing it at the tiny man's chest.

"What the bloody hell are you doing!" someone shouted. Wood clattered against the deck as Christian thundered across the floor and placed himself between them. Alexander lowered the gun, relief deflating his chest as he stared at his brother. Christian ignored the king and turned to the mate, his frustration clear in his voice. "I thought you were going to tell me when they got here so I could explain things to them."

"Let's go. All of us want to get back home. Here's your ransom," Alexander snarled. He wanted to embrace his younger brother and wrap his arms around him, make sure that he was safe.

"Your ransom won't be needed here, lad," a deep voice said. Alexander lifted his pistol again, pointing it at the man this time. "Christian," he added with a nod.

"I ought to kill all of you," Alexander snarled.

"You can't," Christian snapped, turning back to face them. He dragged the mate in front of him and pulled the hat from the man's head. Chocolate brown curls tumbled down around shoulders. The scarf was yanked down next, revealing a petite nose and full lips. "You can't kill them. Alex, Nick, Noah, Seb, Jonas… meet my wife."


	106. Chapter CV

**Chapter CV**

The first thing that he felt was an itch on his nose. And not one of those itches where you could purse your lips or wiggle your nose to get ride of it. No; it was one of those on the very tip of your nose that needed to be scratched with a fingernail. Christian reached forward to scratch it, but found that his arms were trapped tight behind his back, his shoulders straining against the bonds. "What the hell?" he muttered, pulling at the ropes. If he could find a spot where the ropes were weak and he could snap them, he could get off the damn boat.

"Hey, you," he called when he saw the shadow of a boy walking by the doorway. "Hey boy, come in here," he shouted again.

"Cabin boy," a gravely voice growled darkly. The shadow that had been crawling ever closer jerked upright and backed away swiftly. "I do believe the quartermaster told you to stay away from captive. Get on with your duties, boy." The little shadow scurried away swiftly, the door pushing open a moment later. "You can call me Kenneth," the man said. "I'm the boatswain aboard our vessel."

"I'm Prince Christian of the Southern Isles. If you'd just take me back to port, I could get you whatever ransom it is that you're wanting," Christian said swiftly.

"I'm sure that be true, Your Highness, but you fetch a higher price if we've you on our turf," the boatswain explained. "Don't you worry. Our captain is a fair man. He won't allow you to come to harm. I'll go get our first mate to explain to you what's will be happening. Here's some bread," Kenneth added, dropping the small loaf into Christian's lap.

"My hands are tied behind my back. How do you expect me to eat this?" Christian shouted. His stomach was rumbling, though, reminding him that he hadn't eaten in a few hours. "You could just untie me." The grizzly old man standing before him only raised an eyebrow in response. The man was older, with grey hair around his temples and peppered through his hair. His stomach was rounded and showed years of comfort rather than pillaging. Piracy truly was a young man's sport. Christian couldn't imagine that the man was much invested in it. "I just want to eat."

"Nay," the man said, scrubbing a hand. "Nay, I doubt that our first mate will be willing to do that. You can talk to Theo about it, though." Kenneth only opened the door and stuck his head out, holding the door in one meaty fist. "Oy! Theo! Your prisoner finally woke up."

"I'll be down in an minute, Kenneth. Go and wake the captain," a voice called back. The pitch was higher in tone than Christian had been expecting, but the gruff tone was indicative that the man was definitely a pirate. The string of litanies that rang out against the sailors aboard the ship were most definitely sailors. "Oy! Rat! Last I checked the captain'd ordered them sails to be furled, you great buffoon. You best be getting to it before he comes up from his nap."

What kind of pirate captain napped? Where was the violent threats of war? Except for the obscenities, Christian hadn't heard anything that told him he was on a pirate ship. And even the curses weren't that severe. They were nothing that Christian hadn't heard before, aboard ships with Dorsey and their men. This was obviously the strangest pirate ship that was sailing the seas.

"Theo, you need to be seeing to the prisoner before the captain wakes up!" Kenneth's voice shouted. "He's a strong young man. He could rip through those bonds before we have a chanced to stop him." The first mate dismissed the boatswain with a sharp call before the booted feet stumbled down the stairs to the room where Christian was being held.

The man before him definitely lived up the reputation of the ship around him. He was barely taller than a girl. The shirt hung baggy on his frame, though the shirt itself wasn't actually very large. Christian realized that it must have been the boy's slimness. And as if it wasn't enough that the first mate was the size of a woman, the man had the brim of his hat pulled so low over his eyes, Christian couldn't see them at all. _You could at least have the decency to look a man in the eyes,_ Christian murmured to himself. _How else do you expect to get respect from anyone?_

The first mate had a scarf wrapped around his face, the fabric pulled taut over the bridge of his nose and mouth. Small arms slipped over the man's chest, a scowl in eyes that were the most peculiar color that Christian had ever seen. "If you just let me go, I can get you all the money that you're wanting. But I can't pay my own ransom if you keep me locked up in this tiny room," Christian said, trying to gesture around him. "And I don't know how you expect me to eat when you won't release my hands."

"How am I supposed to release your hands when you look like you're wanting to pummel me to a pulp?" he replied. He cocked his hip and leaned against the doorjamb to look at him. "You must think that I'm addled if you think I'm going to let your arms go. We both know that you want off this boat an you'll probably do anything to get off of it." His eyes were narrowed, dark and dangerous. When Christian did nothing but return look, the first mate turned to stalk off, a splinter of wood on the doorjamb catching the corner of the hat enough to tilt the brim and send it to the ground.

Thick, chocolate brown hair tumbled around his shoulders, dark waves tumbling. The man let out a curse of monumental proportions, reaching up to yank the scarf up around his hair. Or… _her_ hair. No wonder the man was so small. It wasn't a man at all; it was a woman standing in front of him. He couldn't see her shape, but suddenly everything made so much more sense. No wonder than he looked so tiny. No wonder the men around the ship weren't pillaging. They were raising a woman. Christian threw his head back and shouted with laughter. Women weren't first mates on ship. "What the bloody hell are you laughing at?" she asked him, her mouth twisting in a distasteful snarl.

"You're a woman."

"I'm the first mate. Show me some respect," she growled.

"But you're a woman!" Christian protested when he saw _Theo_ for the first time, saw the true her. The woman's hair shimmered chocolate brown and gleaming on the light from the lanterns around them. "You can't be the first mate," he insisted. Her eyes were the color of the mystical waters his father had once painted, the ones where the mermaids splashed and played. Somehow, the woman being a mermaid made more sense to his brain than her being first mate on a pirate ship. She looked far too delicate to be on a ship.

Her eyes snapped and crackled like driftwood that had been set aflame. Her nose was pert and perfect and proportioned for her face. While she frowned at him, obviously frustrated that he thought she shouldn't be allowed aboard a ship, let alone be the first mate, her lips were tweaked up naturally. He had the nagging suspicion that she seldom frowned. Her eyes were serious, telling him that she was indeed the first mate aboard the ship, but he could see the desire to laugh lurking in their depths. "On your feet, prisoner. The captain wants a word with you," she told him.

"I wasn't aware you could get through a sentence without adding a curse to it," he muttered.

In the next instant, she was standing in front of him, the heel of her boots pressed against his fingers. "I may be a woman, but I am more than capable of taking care of myself. You may be a prince on land, but on this ship, on _my_ ship, you're a prisoner. Unless you want to find yourself in the brig, you'll get yourself up to your feet and follow me to the captain's quarters."

Christian rocked himself to his feet when she removed the booted foot from its position, hovering over his fingers. She'd seemed small when he'd been on the ground, but as he came to stand next to her, he realized just how petite she was. Of all his brothers, Christian was one of the shortest. He barely stood six-foot one, and had never considered himself tall between all his brothers. But standing next to Theo, he was practically a giant. Her booted feet could probably fit perfectly in his hand. She strode straight to him and glared up, her head tilted all the way back to look at him. "Get moving before I have to make you," she growled.

Christian took a step, but not before he could chuckle to him. "I'd like to see that," he muttered.


	107. Chapter CVI

**Author's Note: Okay, I know that I've completely disappeared for the last few days. I meant to post chapters Thursday night, but my mother (who retrieved us from the airport) decided that 2 a.m. was the appropriate time to go grocery shopping. Apparently, insomnia runs in the family. Anyways, there will be a single today and a triple tomorrow. Happy Reading and reviewing!**

* * *

**Chapter CVI**

Theodora Price licked her lips and chewed on the inside of her lip as she walked ahead of the prisoner. She was only doing as her father asked, portraying the semblance of trust in the man. The crew were lining the hallways, in the chambers and the closets, making sure that the man didn't try anything that would put her in danger. Not that she couldn't handle herself. She listened carefully for any sign that the man behind her was going to hurt her. She listened for his footsteps to quicken or for his breath to come closer to her.

Theo rested her hand on the dagger that was hidden in the waistband of her pants, waiting for the moment that she would need to draw it and plunge it into his chest. "Fa—Captain," she called, rapping her knuckles against the door. "I brought you the prisoner as you asked," she said, walking into the room and taking her spot at the chair beside the small table her father had in the room. She crossed her ankles, leaned back in her chair, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Prince Christian, is it?" the Captain asked. He was a grizzly old, with a salt and pepper beard that went down to his sternum. His hair was completely grey around his temple, but had been brushed sideways in a gentle sweep. He was far too well groomed to be a pirate. "We be sailing off for our island. Where is it you want your ransom notes sent?" The words came out uneducated, and yet, they were solicitous. He couldn't quite believe that the captain was asking him about ransom notes as regularly as he was asking about the Sunday paper. "You can speak, can't you boy?"

"Aye; I'm quite capable of speaking. You know that I'm from the Southern Isles so I don't know why you would even ask me," Christian retorted, still staring at the woman in front of him. What in God's green Earth was the woman doing on a pirate ship? "My brother the King is in Arendelle, so if you're wanting to reach him directly, you should probably send it there. Is that what you're wanting to know?"

"If he wanted to know where your brother was don't you think he would've asked?" Theo snapped at him, her teal eyes snapping and sparking in her eyes. "Are all your brothers as brainless as you are?"

"Theo," the Captain snapped back, his eyes narrowed at her.

"What?" the young girl responded. "It ain't my fault his brain don't work, is it?"

"Enough. Now, Prince Christian, seeing as you be a prince, it would make sense to me that we be asking for a tidy sum, don't you agree?" the Captain continued. "Theo, take this down please. And make it sound all proper like, if you could." The girl nodded, sitting forward and reaching for the quill, ink, parchment, and blotting paper. "Dearest, most well respected King Alexander of the Southern Isles," the man began, "We have your brother, the Prince Christian. Theo, you know the sum that we'll be expecting for the lad." Theo gave a sharp nodded as she kept scribbling across the page. Christian noticed immediately that the words she was writing were several times longer than what was being said. "Give 'em the coordinates to the island, Theo, and send it on its way."

Christian's stomach gave a mammoth of a growl, causing the man to wince as he realized that both people in the room heard it loud and clear. "I thought I told Kenneth to give you some food," the Captain growled in his gravely voice.

"Your first mate here wouldn't untie my hands," Christian said, but there was no rebuke in his voice. He wasn't frustrated with her or upset that she hadn't given him his freedom. He didn't care at all, truly. The girl was just trying to prove to him that he couldn't have all of the things that he wanted. The girl clearly wanted to be fearsome, but all she'd done was attempt to crush his fingers. Admittedly, it would've been painful, but it would've been nothing in comparison to things he'd dealt with in the past. "Thought I might be a little dangerous."

"Theodora Lynn Price," the Captain boomed, his voice full of steel and discipline. "We had a deal. You were supposed to be kind to the prisoner."

"I didn't cut his throat. I don't know what it is that you're expecting from me," she growled at the Captain. "And aye, he's a little hungry but that ain't my fault. He was the pansy that was unconscious for nearly twenty four hours. And he tried to convince me to take him back to the Southern Isles, when we're more than a day's sail anyways. I'd say he's the one who's to blame for his hunger."

"Theodora?" Christian asked, slightly amused.

"Oh, go hang yourself," she growled. She shoved him up against the wall, his hands still tied behind his back, drawing her dagger and pressing it against his neck, The blood beaded against the blade, not deep enough to cause any damage. "My name is Theo to you."

"_Theodora,_" her father warned again, his voice rattling through the small bunk room.

"I ain't done nothing wrong, and you know it!" Theo snapped.

"I know you be knowing your words better than that, Theodora. I didn't spend all that money for that fancy English tutor for you to be acting brainless," the Captain growled. "You're my daughter, Theodora, but that don't mean you have to act like a sea-brat."

"I am a sea-brat," she growled back at the man who was, apparently, her father. Christian couldn't understand any of what was being said between the two.

"Aye, you are; but I spent a great deal of money to make sure you got an education better than that of a sea-brat. Kenneth!" The boatswain appeared in the doorway almost immediately. "Take the prisoner back to his cell and untie his hands. Get him some gruel, too. If we have some pickles—"

"I don't like pickles," Christian interrupted.

The captain threw his head back and laughed. "You'll be learning to like pickles, lad," the Captain assured him before nodding to his boatswain and allowing Christian to be towed away. "We had an agreement, Theo," the man said when they were alone.

"I know that we did and I've done nothing wrong," Theo insisted, flopping herself into the armchair and draping her legs around the chair. "I did the best that I could, Daddy, but he kept telling me that I'm a woman and I shouldn't be on a ship. When we both know that I could probably read the stars better than he ever could, and I've spent more time on a ship than he has in his entire life. I'm a better sailor than he will ever be, but because I'm a woman, no one thinks that I can do anything on the ship. I've done the pillaging and pilfering and I'm bloody good at it."

"You've never pillaged a thing in your life, Theodora. Your mother would turn over in her grave and kill us all if you had," the captain said. He plucked his tiny daughter from the chair and settled her on his lap, like he had all the times that she'd been afraid of the storms that were raging through the seas. "You don't have to prove anything to the man. He's a prince, lass. He has no idea of hard work or what any of that entails. You're a sailor; maybe not the pillaging kind, but you're still a sailor. The sea is in your blood, lass," he assured her.

"I know, Daddy," she whispered, resting her temple against his shoulder. "I just forget…sometimes. I'm always with the men and they always know that I'm just as capable of doing things as they are. When we get new people and I have to go around dressing like a bilge rat—"

"You always dress like this, Theo. You just don't wear that hat or that scarf all the time," her father replied.

"I have to go around hiding myself," Theo continued. "And he's so _tall_. Did we have to kidnap a tall one? I mean, I don't even come up to his neck. He makes me feel like a child and I am _not_ a child."

"Nope. You're the daughter of one of the most renowned pirate ships on the seven seas. You've worked your way up the ranks and into the spot you're at now. No one, least of all some prince with hands soft as the silk from India, is going to tell you who you are. Now, I don't want you to go hurt the lad, but you could let him see how strong you really are. And don't you worry. I ain't letting you go no where."


	108. Chapter CVII

**Author's Note: Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there. I know I've had a shit time updating. Moving back to California for the summer has been harder than I thought it would. Anyways, I'm shooting for a triple update today. Fingers crossed!**

* * *

**Chapter CVII**

"If you want to remain on _this_ side of the brig bars, you best get to work, cabin boy," Theo was telling him a day later, glaring dangerously at him and warning him that he best kept his mouth shut. She alternated calling him bilge rat and cabin boy, both of which were degrading and demeaning. She slopped a bucket of soapy water down and practically threw the mop at him, daring him to say anything contrary to the command she'd given.

He didn't.

Christian had quickly discovered that he'd misjudged the girl. The men on the boat, most old enough to be her father, all respected her authority and did whatever she bid them. She climbed the rigging with well-trained ease. She swabbed the deck with practice, but somehow acted like she still cared about her job. It was far beneath her, especially since she was a first mate, but the woman didn't seem to mind it. She helped out with everything and anything. Her father was up and around in the morning, but every afternoon, the mysterious captain disappeared.

They'd been at sea for nearly two weeks, Christian working alongside boys who were half his age, when one of the sailors shouted, "Oy! Theo!" The chocolate haired woman turned to face him, her hair blowing behind her in the wind. She'd not worn it beneath the hat again. Most days, it was tightly knotted in her braid, but for some reason, she'd left it free for the day. The chocolate color gleamed brilliantly in the light that came from the sun, despite the clouds that rolled over to block it out completely. "There's a ship!" the man shouted, pointing a scraggily finger at the ship that came ever closer.

Theo narrowed her eyes as she stared at the flag. It was flying the crossbones, just like her own ship. Truth be told, her father hadn't pulled a job or a heist in several years. It was kind of something that he refused to do. After she was born, her father had decided on a different lifestyle. The men were, mostly, settled down. They worked only when their father thought that they were running low on money. Otherwise, they mostly sailed around. Her father used to be a feared pirate…back before he'd fallen in love with her mother.

According to the rumor, he'd found her on an island, working in a bar. Her father had always been one of those people who took what he wanted and her mother had been no exception to the rule. Her father had quite literally thrown her mother over his shoulder and carted her off to his ship. It took her mother more than a year to decide that her father was a man worth marrying. Theo knew the story, but it was still something that she admired about her father. He'd never given up on her mother, not even when she'd told him that she would hate him for the rest of her life. Strange as their story was, Theo had always thought that she wanted a man to come in and steal her away, to make her his for the rest of his life.

Everything exploded while Theo was busy thinking about her parents and their unconventional love. The cannons banged against the side of the ship, tipping everything to the side a little. Christian jerked to his feet, his arms immediately going around Theo to steady her. "I can balance myself," she growled, struggling out of his arms. She cursed him some name that he'd never heard of and strode to where all the men were prepared for a fight, their weapons drawn. "Go and get the captain," she instructed some man or another, barely looking away from the ship that was in front of them. "Kenneth, take some men down to the cannons. Let's go!" she shouted at the boatswain, who took several men beneath the deck to the cannons. Men swung over on ropes in droves. Theo lifted her pistol and fired, managing to sever one of the ropes a man was swinging from. He screamed as he plummeted to the small strip of water between the ships.

She cocked the hammer again and aimed for another man, pulling the trigger and watching the bullet fly through the air. Christian was amazed at how accurate her aim was, at how perfectly it cut through the atmosphere and landed in the man's chest, at how calmly she seemed to react to all of this. She was killing men and she didn't even bat an eye. He picked up his own weapon and fired with just as much accuracy as Theo had. The first mate herself was a little surprised at the prince's skill, but said nothing.

The Captain appeared on the deck, grabbing a sword and rapier as he walked. Christian fought alongside everyone that was holding him captive. After two weeks of eating and working alongside the men, he knew his place. No one mistreated him, truly, although most ignored him or acted as if he didn't exist. He had no such guarantees if he went to the other ship, which was exactly why he wasn't asking anyone for help. He couldn't; Alexander and the rest of his brothers already knew where the men were heading. They would be able to find them.

So Christian fought, taking down as many men as he could. "Put me down!" he heard someone shouting. "You bastards, put me the hell down!" The petite woman was being held still by a single man, but her legs were flailing so wildly, Christian knew she was moments from being released. She swung her leg again and managed to catch the man exactly where she'd wanted to. He gasped and dropped her, snarling out, "Heinous bitch," as she hit the ground. Theo scrambled out of his reach and grabbed her dagger, plunging it into the man's stomach and yanking it back out.

"Theo!" Christian shouted as another two men grabbed hold of her, dragging her back to a rickety gangplank. A hand clamped down over her mouth as she was preparing to call out for her father or Kenneth or any of the other men that she'd grown up with. Hell, she'd even settle for Christian at this point. The man in question was shouldering his way across the crew, trying to get to the other ship and find the first mate. "Captain, Theo's been taken!" he called over his shoulder as he leapt over the railing and thundered across the plank. He wasn't going to let her get hurt because none of the other men could move fast enough to get her.

The other crew had retreated, unable to find the treasure that they wanted and unwilling to lose more men than they already had. But they were taking Theo with them. Already, the girl had been battered and beaten in her fight, her cheek swollen and bright red from some slap or another. She refused to stop fighting. Her arms and legs made contact with everything and anything around her. A meaty fist came in contact with her face, the knuckle pressing the soft flesh against her tooth. The sharp enamel pressed through the flesh, spurting blood into her mouth and splitting it open.

Christian fired the gun into the back of the man that was looming over her, spreading her thighs with his knees and placing herself between her even while she fought. She heard herself scream as he collapsed on top of her. More of her men filed onto the ship to take her from the hell whole, but it was Christian's arm she felt slide around her and lifted her against his chest. The man had been patronizing her for close to two weeks. He didn't seem to care that she was more than qualified for the job that she worked.

But at the moment, she didn't care. She'd dealt with people underestimating her all of her life, but she'd never actually come close to being harmed. In the minutes that it had taken Christian and her men to get over to the ship, she'd been laid down and splayed out like a pig for the taking. She had never considered what could happen to her if she'd been taken by men that she hadn't known her entire life. Rape had never even crossed her mind, but seeing that man, his fingers going to the laces at his trews, hands holding her down, tat weight leaning over her…

Christian was already carrying her across the gangplank. He strode past her father and directly to the bunk that he'd found to be hers. Her bed was built into the wall, the mattress feathers and straw packed together. The sheets were the brightest green silk sheets, the cream colored bedding soft, thick, and warm. He laid her down against the sheets, waiting for the tears to start, but the woman merely rolled out of her bed and glared at him. "I am not some helpless damsel and I don't need you to be protecting me," she snarled at him.

"Aye, but you do need me to protect you, Theodora," her father growled. "Now, you lay your arse in that bed. And you," he pointed one finger at the prince who'd saved his daughter's life. "You come with me. I want to talk to you about what you saw. Theo, in the bed." She rolled her eyes but was truly tired. She laid herself down and cuddled her pillows to her chest.

"Your daughter may be one of the finest sailors that I've ever seen, but she is still a woman. Now, I'm not saying that she isn't capable of doing things because she's a woman. What I'm saying is that she will always be in danger. You can't go pillaging and pilfering when you can't be sure that she's going to be safe," Christian growled. Protecting people was the one thing that Christian knew how to do. He needed to redeem himself, especially after he'd let Zoe be captured and live her life in captivity.

"Don't you think I know that? I ain't dumb. Why do you think that we stopped pirating?" the Captain snarled at him. "I want me daughter safe and the best way to do that was to stop pillaging. We protected Theo from the moment she was born."

"I don't want to see your daughter hurt. I don't want to see anyone hurt. Ever," Christian said quietly. "She's not safe on this boat."

"Aye."

"I could take her with me. When my brothers come for me, we can take her back to the Southern Isles to make sure that she's safe. She'll be given full protection. You have my word," Christian muttered.

"I need more than that. I need my daughter to be completely safe and that ain't going to happen if she's just a woman under your protection."

"We're men of our words; I won't let you daughter get hurt."

"Aye, you won't," the Captain said, "Especially since she won't be a woman under her protection. She'll be your wife."


	109. Chapter CVIII

**Author's Note: Okay, so we're almost done with Christian and Theo. We're going to check in with Klaus & Calais. Tomorrow will be an Arendelle day and (hopefully) there will be THREE chapters up tomorrow, because I'm exhausted and there are only two tonight. (Unless I feel inspiration and I get a whole bunch of reviews). I'm pretty sure my family is trying to kill me. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter CVIII**

Theo stared at her father like he'd become some kind of madman in the last fifteen minutes. The sun was setting on the waterline, and all he kept repeating was, "It's for the best, Theo." But it wasn't for the best. Her father was sending her away. Worse than that, he was sending her away to live on land for the first time in her life. Getting married wasn't all that bad. She didn't mind the fact that she was getting married. Well, she was _pissed_ she was getting married to a man that she'd only known for two weeks, but the fact that she was getting married didn't bother her.

"I'm not getting married, Daddy and you can't make me," she told her father. She wasn't leaving the boat. This was her home. She'd been born and raised on the ship. Her father wasn't going to make her go anywhere. If he wanted her to marry the prince, that was fine. She'd do it if it would make her father happy, but she wasn't leaving. "I won't do it."

"You will do it, Theodora. I've let you have your independence, lass, but there are realities. You are a single woman and I am your father. You have to obey me until you get yourself hitch and then it's your husband you be obeying. Whether you like it or not, you'll be marrying that boy. Whether you want to or not, you will be getting on that bloody ship with his damned family and you will be sailing away from me, whether you like it or not." She narrowed her eyes, refusing to let her father see her cry. She hadn't cried; not since she was six-years-old. She wasn't about to start now, especially not over a man she'd only just met.

Her father practically dragged her up onto the deck, to the wheel well. He slammed her down on her feet and demanded that she say the words, that she give her vows to obey a man that she'd only just met. She didn't want to talk to the man, let alone _obey _him. "I know pronoun you man and wife. You may kiss your bride," the Captain said, fighting the urge to flinch. Watching a man kiss his daughter was going to be one of the most difficult things in his life, especially because of how innocent Theodora truly was.

Christian turned towards his new bride. He slowly took in her eyes. They weren't any wider than normal, and she was trying valiantly to hide it, but Christian could see the fear that was lurking in the depths of her eyes. She was afraid, terrified, of what he was going to do to her. Seeing the fear in her eyes tore at his heart. Was that how Zoe looked at all the men in Weselton? He'd never wanted a woman to look at him that way. He never wanted to be responsible for taking a woman from her family, her home, her friends.

Carefully, he reached forward and grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger. Theo glared at him, warning him to let her go. But Christian was in control now. This was _his_ wife. He would always respect her for being the sailor she was and because she was his wife. But he wasn't going to submit to her little glares this time, no matter how dangerous she could be. So, he tilted her chin up and leaned down, slowly so as not to spook her. He pressed a soft kiss against the corner of her mouth, more her cheek that her lips.

The moment that Christian stopped lingering over her mouth, Theo jerked herself away from him, trying to fight the thundering of her heart. His lips had been…surprisingly soft. His lips had whispered over her cheek delicately, as if he was afraid of hurting her. She'd never had anyone kiss her. Her father was one for snuggling and cuddling on his armchair when storms were thundering their way through the sky or when Theo thought that she might want to cry a little. Other than the occasional, out of character, peck on the cheek, Theo wasn't showered with affection.

"The two of your should head to your bunk, Theo," her father suggested when Theo was just standing there stunned. He'd been glad to see that the boy'd had enough sense not to kiss his wife. At least, not fully. It was exactly what the young, inexperience girl needed. "Congratulations. You've got a jewel for a wife," he added with a wink. Christian smiled and nodded, thanked the man, and took his wife's hand. Theo kept her hand stiff, her fingers splayed when Captain threaded their fingers together and began dragging her down the stairs.

Theo rounded on him the moment that he closed the door. "I may be your wife, but I ain't going to listen to you," she told him sternly. "And if you think you're going to be sitting in this bed and sleeping alongside me tonight, you are dead wrong." Christian smiled at the disgruntled sound of her voice.

"I was planning on sleeping on the reading chair of there, wife," he said. She rolled her eyes when he called her _wife_. It was clear she wanted to dispute it, but she didn't say anything. "I'm sure that you're tired. My brothers will probably be here in the next few days and we'll be one our way."

"We're not going to the Southern Isles or Arendelle. I won't go," she told him.

"Well, we could go to Weselton. My brother Klaus is there now. I'm sure that he would be happy to welcome us for a visit. Although, admittedly, we will be needed in the Southern Isles. My brother has been dealing with things in Arendelle. He's in love with Queen Elsa," Christian was explained. Theo snorted. "Do you have something to say, Theodora?"

"My name is Theo," she snapped.

"Well, actually, your name is Theodora, but that's besides the point. Did you have something to say?" Christian repeated.

"Just that Queen Elsa froze our ship to the water when we were sailing there," she explained. "Meeting with your brother, actually."

"Hans? Why is it that you made a deal with him?" Christian asked.

"I may be your wife, but we don't have to share. All the vows that I spoke, don't you be expecting those to come to pass. I'm your wife in title only. We will not be leaving this ship," she swore.

The next day, when Alexander and a few others boarded the ship, Theo was saying the same thing. Not even when her father told her that he didn't want her on the ship any longer would she listen to him. "I thought you said she was your wife," Jonas muttered, watching as Christian threw the soft bag of clothing he'd found in his wife's bunk.

"It's complicated," he responded simply. "Theodora, we're going to go home now. To the Southern Isles," he clarified before she could tell him that she was already home.

"I already told you that i'm not going," she snarled at him, looking around for her father. Christian had seen him slip below deck, probably too upset to watch his only daughter walk away from him. "You can have a wonderful and safe voyage, husband. I ain't going."

Christian sighed heavily. "You are," he told her, leaning down and hefting her over his shoulder, keeping one hand clamped around the her thighs as he carted her off to the other ship.

"Put me down! You arse! I am not some helpless woman that needs you to cart her around. I can walk! I can breathe! And I can bloody well make my own decisions about what I want to do. I do _not_ want to travel away from my home. That ship is my home. You are taking me away from my father and friends! That is not the way that this is supposed to work. We're in an equal partnership!" She prattled on and on while Christian took her directly below deck and threw her into his own bunk, watching her huff at him in exasperation. He gave her a brief smile before backing out of the room and locking her inside. "Excuse me! Are you kidding me? I am a sailor? Don't you think I know my way around a boat? I can get out—"

"Keep her in there, Nicholas. I need to talk to my father-in-law," Christian said, pounding his way back across the gangplank and into the captain's chambers. "There was something I wanted to make abundantly clear to you," he said to the man. The Captain was staring down at a painting of something that Christian couldn't even discern. It looked like a child had scribbled it.

"You've got to promise me that you'll be treating my girl well, lad. I'd give her anything, the moon and the sky if I could. You're right that she's in danger here, but she's still my daughter," the Captain said, his voice even more gruff than normal.

"I have no intention of hurting your daughter in any way. But what I wanted to say was that you're welcome in the Southern Isles any time. You won't be arrested. We'll offer you freedom and amnesty on our lands, but Theodora clearly loves you. I wouldn't take a woman from her family if my life depended on it," Christian explained.

"I'm appreciating that," the Captain said. "You should get going while the winds are good, lad. You've got a long voyage ahead of you." Christian nodded again and started towards the door. "I have one more request!"

"I've already married her, given you immunity, and promised that I will protect her with my life. What are you wanting from me now?" Christian asked almost laughingly.

"The sea is in my girl's veins. Don't be taking that from her. She'll hate you for the decisions I've made, but if you take the sea from her as well, she'll never grow to trust or care for you," the Captain warned. "And I want her to be happy."

"You and me both," Christian replied.


	110. Chapter CIX

**Author's Note: Explanation time! Okay, so here's what's going on. I'm literally exhausted. Since I got back to California, all I've done is argue with the world and go to job interviews. I finally got two jobs (which is perfection). Tomorrow, there will be a double updated that is all about Arendelle and maybe a third chapter as a finish for this chapter. Once I know what my schedule is, I will be able to update more regularly. I'm so sorry that you guys have been suffering. I'm just exhausted and my family has needed me. I'm so sorry guys. Don't give up on me or the story. I promise I'm getting back. I just need a little time to figure things out. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter CIX**

Calais couldn't move. The lips that were pressed so softly against hers warm and almost cloud-like. She felt the fear gnawing at her belly and swirled around her brain. Chills formed instantly, goosebumps running down her arms as sweat broke out over her skin. Her heart hammered in her chest, threatening to burst her ribcage wide open and run away. The darkness spiraled and beckoned, promising her freedom and release, promising her that she could escape from her memorizes. Klaus pulled away, though, his fever climbing higher as he held her. "My angel," he whispered against her lips.

The fear dissolved, vanishing instantly as she stared down at the beautiful green eyes, staring at her with such feverish wonder. When he pulled her closer to kiss her again, she didn't resist. She pressed her mouth against his and let him take control. She had no idea what it was like to kiss someone because you _wanted_ to, so she let him. He moved his mouth softly, gently, coaxing her pillowy lips to move with him. His hand slid from her cheek to the nape of her neck, trapping her against him.

Klaus winced when he extended himself just a little too far, but he didn't pull away. In fact, it was Callie who pulled back when she felt the stumble in his kiss. "You've pushed yourself too far," she chastised, gently leaning him back down against her mattress.

"Worth it," he mumbled through the pain. He watched through slitted eyes as she tucked the blankets back around him before turning and making her own spot up for bed. Tobias came in only a few moments later, glaring dangerously at the girl wen she came into view. "That's a fearsome scowl," Klaus grumbled.

"Is he delirious again?" Tobias asked her, obvious disdain in his voice.

"I am not delirious. I am in pain, but I know what I'm saying. Why are you talking to her like she is the scum beneath your feet?" Klaus demanded. Tobias turned a startled frown on his brother, who was paying more attention to the way that Callie was slipping outside than he was to the expression on his brother's face. "What is your issue?" Klaus demanded when the door clicked shut. "Has Calais done something wrong that I'm not aware of? Because last I checked, she was the one who saved me."

"She is and she's stitched you well," Tobias allowed. "There's just something off putting about her. When she talks to us, she acts as though she hates us all. I'm a prince of the Souther Isles and, even if I wasn't, I'm above _her_ station. I deserve some respect and she doesn't show it to any."

"You're a prince by title, sure, but that doesn't make you any better than her," Klaus growled, fighting to sit himself upright. He huffed when he couldn't manage it and was forced to collapse against the mattress again, sending the bed into a gentle swing. "Thinking that you're better than someone else because you have a title that they don't is how rebellions begin. We're better than that, Tobias. Our parents taught us better than that. Calais is no different from you and me," Klaus growled at him. "I see it in your face; you hate her and there's nothing you're willing to do to change that, is there?"

"I don't hate her. I just don't understand her," Tobias defended.

"So, it's okay to treat her terribly because you don't understand her? Seriously?" Klaus grumbled, feeling the energy start to drain out of him. "I don't understand you and I've never hated you or been cruel to you."

"We're brothers. That's different," Tobias dismissed.

"It doesn't have to be different, though." He coughed and tried to relax himself against the mattress again, but couldn't manage to find a comfortable spot again. "Calais hasn't done anything, has she?"

"Well, no, but her impertinence—"

"Is none of your business. Have you ever considered that she's the way she is for a reason?"

"For whatever reason, but she was also banished," the younger brother tried to point out.

"She was ten-years-old! Have you managed to discover _why_ it was that she was banished? She was a child," Klaus pointed out.

"That's enough," Calais said as she walked into the cottage again. "Prince Tobias, your brother needs his rest if he's going to recover well. I have made up a area for you to sleep, Your Highness." Klaus frowned, realizing that the bed he'd thought she was making up for herself had been for his brother. She gestured regally to the other pallet before smiling a little. "Or if you'd rather, the arm chair is always available."

There was a flash of mirth that glimmered in Callie's eyes when she said. Klaus was instantly captured by it, ignoring the glare that she was receiving from Tobias. Klaus had no idea that the chair's leg had broken when Tobias had set himself in it, the small spindle snapping beneath his weight and sending him hurdling to the ground. He didn't know that Callie had thrown her head back in full throated laughter, unable to contain herself from laughing. How else was she supposed to respond when something so entertaining happened? It was another thing that caused dissension between the two. Tobias was not one who appreciated being laughed at.

Klaus watched his brother settle himself on the pallet that she'd made up. There was a part of him that wanted to know what it was that she'd given up for his brother to have a comfortable bed. It was obvious that she cared about others and taking care of them, but it didn't explain why she'd been banished. That was all that he really wanted to know. The woman wasn't much of a mystery. There was nothing he couldn't ask her, or at least that was how he felt about it. "Callie?" he called softly.

She spun around swiftly, her eyes wide with shock. "What did you call me?" she asked of him.

"Callie," Klaus said, his brain still muddled. Sleep sounded lovely, but he needed an answer to his question. It didn't even occur to him that he was completely overstepping the bounds of propriety. "Callie," he repeated, "why were you banished?"

"It's a long, tedious tale and one that I'm sure you don't want to hear about at the moment," she replied, throwing a glance at the prince that was making himself comfortable on the makeshift bed. "There are other things that are more important than what happened to little old me years and years ago," she added, making sure that the entire discussion was dismissed.

"No, please, mistress. Tell us what it is that you did that was so heinous," Tobias goaded.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Callie retorted. "Let me get you some water, Prince Tobias. With all the yammering you do, you should probably wet your throat every once in a while."

"I couldn't possibly accept something as precious as your water from you, mistress Calais," he replied. Callie thought he'd been about to say that he understood it was a precious commodity for her, but instead, he smiled bitterly and added, "It might be poisoned."

"Oh, don't tempt me," she grumbled underneath her breath. She got the younger prince some water and placed it at his head, ignoring the heavy snores that were coming from him. Klaus hadn't even realized how late it was. "You should get some sleep, warrior. Your brother won't be very happy if he finds out that you've been up later than he would like. It would seem that they very protective of you."

"What did you do, Callie? You were only a child. How terrible could you have truly been?" he muttered as Callie placed herself at her side again, laying cool cloths over his forehead to bring his fever down. "Please tell me. I'll only come up with terrible thoughts about it."

"It's none of your business, you nosy brat," she grumbled.

"Did you," Klaus paused to try and think of a crime that would've gotten her banished at ten. "Did you plot a treason against the king?"

"Hardly," she muttered.

"Did you…steal consistently? You know, to where you were a liability? Although, I will point out that giving you to an orphanage would've been better than banishing you," Klaus tried again. Callie shook her head. "Did you kill someone?" he asked her laughingly. The stricken look on her face stopped him. "Callie…did you kill someone?"  
"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Callie said, mopping down his chest with the cloth. "What do you want to do to the kingdom?"

"Who did you kill, Callie?"

"It's not what you're thinking," she whispered, looking shy and hurt for the first time since he could remember her soft face swimming to his view. "Please, you don't want to hear about this."

"Who did you kill?" Klaus repeated with a snap in his voice.

"My brother," Callie practically shouted. "I killed my brother."


	111. Chapter CX

**Author's Note: Okay, something I've decided that I'm doing from now on. Every day, in my lovely little author's notes, I'll be posting whatever song made my chapters. I know it's crazy, but a lot of my writing is inspired by a song and I always listen to music while I'm writing. For example, today's song is "Catching my Breath" by Kelly Clarkson. Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Chapter CX**

Elsa forced herself from her pity with the help of her sister. It wasn't easy. In fact, she was fairly certain that if it wasn't for Anna and Kristoff, she would've curled back up into bed to sob her days away like a maniac. It was Anna's support that pushed her out of bed and kept her there, but Kristof was helpful in his own way. He was always there, steadfast and strong. He stood there and waited for Elsa. He was always there for her, waiting for her to finish whatever duties she was working on. He walked her around the castle alongside her sister as if he was their personal bodyguard instead of Anna's husband.

"I have to go and talk to the man that Jacob brought in from the forest. If he had something to do with the attack on Kayleigh and Jonas, it's something that I need to be made aware of and that we have to deal with, Anna," Elsa said linking arms with her sister. Since she'd talked to her the day that Alexander had left, Elsa had been trying desperately to reconnect things with her sister. She took the younger girl with her on all of her duties as queen. While they had decided that Elsa wasn't going to give up her throne, she still wanted for Anna to learn the things that needed to be learned. Elsa would be away for almost half the year. She needed to make sure that Anna could handle the basic running of things around the castle. While Anna could always write to her sister for help, Elsa was sure that most of it could be handled with just Anna in charge. Especially since Anna would have Kristoff at her side.

Kristoff had made it perfectly clear that he didn't want to be a king. He'd never been someone who had human family, only the trolls. In his own words, that was enough for him. Just having a family was enough for him. "Come on," she insisted, tugging a little more on Anna's arm. "Zoe, you should come with us as well," she called when she saw the princess standing a little ways away from them. She had her arms wrapped around Jacob, who was refusing to leave Zoe alone for even a moment. "Everyone is so on edge," Elsa muttered.

"Can you blame them?" Anna replied. Zoe came forward and linked arms with Elsa, the three of them powering down the halls together, Kristoff and Jacob trailing behind. "We're so used to having Alexander and the brothers around here. I don't think that anyone feels safe without having someone right here to take care of us."

"We handled ourselves just fine before Alexander and his brothers swooped in to save the day," Elsa murmured. "We'll continue to take care of things without him here. Besides, Alexander will not have any real say over what happens here. His people and his guards are not responsible for protecting my people. The nation of Arendelle will be strong, with or without the Southern Isles standing behind us," Elsa said sternly. Anna couldn't quite tell whether or not Elsa was trying to make the girls at her side believe it, or whether she was convincing herself. Either way, it was obviously something that Elsa needed to make sure that got out of her system. "I suppose it's just one more thing that I'm going to have to explain to the people. I've certainly lost my head being involved with Alexander."

"What do you mean?" Zoe asked, a frown on her face. "Alexander loves you. And you love him. So what would the problem be? Love is supposed to be the perfect thing that conquers all."

"I do love your brother," Elsa hastened to explain. "I just meant that I became someone that I didn't want to be. I meant that I lost myself a little there. And it was okay, because I had Alexander right there to deal with things for me. We were going a million miles an hour. There was the poisoning and then the fight in Weselton and then the recovery afterwards. There was just so much going on that there was no time for me to regain my backbone."

"Regain it?" Anna asked. "I'm sorry to be the one who has to explain this all to you, but you never really had a backbone to start with."

"Are you kidding me?" Elsa asked in impertinence. I have plenty of backbone. I froze an entire country, if you will remember correctly." Joking about it made it easier. It was easier to brush it aside and think that it was something of the past when she was mentioning it as a joke, when it was something funny instead of something completely serious.

"You froze an entire country because you were afraid of yourself and of revealing your secret. That means nothing," Anna said dismissively, leaning her temple down against her sister's shoulder as they walked. "You never really had a backbone. You just had a lot of fear."

"Fine. After I decided that the gates were going to stay open, I decided that I was going to be strong enough to make everything work out for the best, you know? And then I met Alexander and everything just seemed to make sense. He was able to talk to me and listen to me, to make me see things calmly instead of like the world was going to come crashing down at my feet. But I think that I was so in love with the need to be in love."

"I don't understand what that means," Zoe said, her voice exasperated.

"I mean that I was just so desperate to have someone who wasn't Anna, care about me. I was so ready for someone to love me and Alexander just traipsed in like a knight in shining armor. But while I was falling in love with your brother, and he with me, I think I lost sight of the kingdom. While I was sick, I was willing to let him take control of everything. And then it just became habit when, in reality, I am more than capable of doing this without him by my side. And you, Anna, are just as capable of doing it, too. I know that you'll do things well while I'm traveling."

"Speaking of traveling," Zoe cut in, "Jacob and I were hoping that we could go back down to the Southern Isles when the two of you head down there again. I love you, Elsa, and I love your sister and the people here, but I haven't even gotten to see all my brothers. I haven't seen Christian or Klaus, Tobias or Elias, Liam or Lucas, or Oliver. I miss them; I want to see them."

"I understand," Elsa promised, patting Zoe's shoulder placatingly. "I know that you want to see your family, Zoe, but at the moment, we have to wait for the men to come back. They've only been gone for a week." _Nine days,_ she muttered to herself. _Nine days and six hours._

"I have an idea," Anna shouted, as if they weren't on their way to go and do something already. "We should start working on your wedding."

"He hasn't even proposed yet, Anna. Don't get ahead of yourself," Elsa laughed.

"Oh, come on! We have to have a reason to celebrate. Didn't you tell me that it's some saying in the Southern Isles? Something that Alexander told you that they belied in the Southern Isles? You said that Alexander told you that the people of the Southern Isles believed that there's always something to celebrate. We _need_ something to celebrate here, Elsa. The people have been shut out and coped up for too long. Your coronation ball was the first time that anything interesting happened in the country in ages. I think that throwing a party or something for the fall harvest would be genius, Elsa."

Elsa stopped dead, realizing that there was something that they hadn't celebrated. "No," she said, because the answer was staring her in the face. "There's something far more important for us to be celebrating. Oh my goodness, Anna, I can't believe that I haven't noticed any of this. I've been so miserable that i haven't been paying attention to the things that were truly important."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Anna said in her blunt voice.

"I can't believe that I didn't notice this before. I can't believe that I've been so stupid. You're absolutely right. We should be celebrating something, but not my nonexistent engagement to the king of the Southern Isles. There is something so much more important that needs to be taken care of."

"Well, for God's sakes, tell me what it is!" Zoe shouted, stumbling in front of Elsa and shaking the queen's shoulders.

"Yeah, Elsa; what is so important that you feel we haven't celebrated?" Anna muttered.

"Your wedding."


	112. Chapter CXI

**Author's Note: I know it's late tonight. All I can say is: prepare yourselves for tomorrow!**

* * *

**Chapter CXI**

Her idea for having a wedding celebration for Anna and Kristoff immediately set Zoe and Anna into planning mode. While Elsa had been planning for Anna to accompany her to her little interrogation, the two of them immediately decided that the wedding reception plans needed to be set into full swing. Kristoff gave her a glare that was part concern, part annoyance, and part indulgence. He may be exasperated with the fact that his wife was now planning some great celebration, but Elsa knew that he would deny Anna _nothing_ in the world. So, she went on her own to talk to the man.

She was almost all the way down the hall before she even heard the footsteps following behind her. Elsa whipped around and shot her hand in front of her and shoved a wall of ice at the intruder, making a sweeping motion that brushed the man against one wall and pinned him to the stone. She rounded on young Henry, his eyes wider than tea saucers as he stared at her. "What are you doing here?" she asked him, fighting the urge to push the wall just a little harder. He was the reason that she'd been poisoned. He'd been working for Hans. Alexander may have cleared him of any wrong doing, especially knowing something that had to do with the maid Sally, but Elsa had never talked to him. "What are you doing here? I certainly wouldn't have asked for your protection."

"I know, Queen Elsa," the man stuttered, looking down at the ice that was crawling up his chest and neck. "I know that I have wronged you and I know that I don't deserve anything from you. I beg you for some forgiveness, Queen Elsa. I only want a chance to prove myself to you, my Queen. Please," he begged softly. "Give me a chance to prove that I did what I felt I needed to do to keep the people I cared about safe. Allow me to act as your…your personal guard. Your escort. Anything. You can have me close to you at all times."

"And risk you poisoning me again?" Elsa snorted her derision. "I've already been burned by that one time before. I'll not make the mistake once again."

"I won't go near anything you eat and drink. You can even have Sally taste it all before you eat. I love that woman. I wouldn't risk her life for anything in this world, Queen Elsa. Make her your taster, if you're so worried. I promise I won't betray your trust again. I only need a chance to earn back your respect and trust."

"Why should I?" she demanded of him this time, wanting a better answer than the one that he was giving her.

"You shouldn't, Queen Elsa. I don't deserve it. I've lost my honor and when a soldier as lowly as myself has lost that, he's lost everything. I just want a moment, a chance to be something better than the man that I used to be," he muttered with his heart in his throat as he stared at her.

"Fine," she grumbled after what felt like an eternity. "You are assigned to me. You'll be my escort for—until I say otherwise." She tried to make herself sound official, though she wasn't sure that she completely succeeded in it. "We're heading to the dungeon. Come along."

She twisted around on her heel and started down the stairs that led to the deep, dark dungeon. As far as prisons went, she was fairly certain that it wasn't the worst. The walls were made of grey cinder blocks and some of the water from the tankards that kept the cool water in the kitchen. The algae was growing a little around the seams, where ceiling met wall. It was cold and damp and more than a little stuffy. But it was mostly clean and the workers were good about making sure the men stayed healthy and were fed regularly. No one was mistreated, even those who rightfully should be. Yet, knowing everything that she knew about the dungeon, it still made her skin crawl.

The man was huddled in the back of his cell his arms wrapped around his knees as he stared at the walls around him. "Guard, I want to talk to this prisoner," she said, pointing at the door. "Please," she added. She told herself that she didn't need to say it. She was the queen and she needed to assert her authority over everyone in the country, but she couldn't expect herself to do it rudely. Henry followed her into the room and placed himself back against the wall while Elsa looked at the man. "Who are you? What were you doing in the forest?"

"Was there another way for me to get your attention?" he asked her, his voice haggard and grizzled as if he had swallowed a cheese grater. "I needed to warn you."

Elsa wasn't sure where to move. She didn't want to move a step back, closer to the man who had poisoned her. Familiar as he may be, he wasn't trusted. Nor could she really take a step forward. If she was to do that, she was putting herself closer to a man that she didn't know anything about. "What is it you needed to warn me about?"

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles," the man replied.

"Explain," she demanded.

"I've been working for that man," the grizzled old bear mumbled. "Your great freeze killed my wife. We weren't prepared none for the weather to come in that cold."

"You're the one I was told about," she whispered, realizing that she was the man who's wife had fallen gravely ill because of the Freeze. "No one told me that your wife died," Elsa murmured. "They said that she just fell ill."

"Well, she did. And truth be told, I blamed you, woman. I decided that you was the problem with the world. I even sent my pack out after your sister when she was traveling up that hill to find you," the man continued. "But I isn't send the pack after the mute. I called 'em off the moment I realized they was after someone. That was when your man found me and dragged my sorry hide up here. I just been waiting for you to get your arse down here and see me," he grumbled.

"Why?"

"Because Hans sent me a message. He told me he that he be coming to Arendelle to get what it was that he deserved and then he'd be off to Weselton," the man explained swiftly. "The note told me to be prepared to kill the princess." Elsa's spine stiffened immediately, her heart rate increasing. She would have to let Kristoff know that he needed to protect her. "Killing the princess was never a part of the deal that I'd made with him. I just wanted to make sure that you paid for the things you'd done. And then it hit me that it wasn't your fault."

"How was it _not_ my fault? I froze the country. I am the reason that your wife got sicker."

"No, you weren't. She was a sick woman. I loved her more than life itself and whether I had lost her to the Freeze or fifteen years from today, it would've been to soon. My Beth…she was my world. You didn't kill her, Queen Elsa. Her sickness did. The reality is, my Beth would've died come winter. You didn't do anything wrong, Queen Elsa. And killing you or killing your sister wouldn't be something my wife would've wanted. She used to tell us that harboring hatred only made you into a person you aren't. I shouldn't have done the things I did. My pack has even run wild. That be the only reason that they'd attack a human. Well, other than the command I gave them. Let me serve out my life here," he begged softly.

The man, old and alone, grizzled and hardened from years fighting for the kingdom, wanted to be in prison. At least here he was assured conversation with someone at least once a day. At least here, he'd have companionship for a moment or two. "No," Elsa said, seeing the glimmer of loneliness in the old man's eyes. It was the same thing that she saw in herself every day when she looked in the mirror. "No, you'll work off your punishment doing whatever it is that I ask of you. We'll set you in a crofter's hut here in the village." It was the only way that she could figure out to keep the old man near and make sure he had what he needed. No one wanted to be locked up all alone. "I'll have a man see to that," she said, turning around with a swoop to try and figure out what to do with her sister and her family.

"Do you want me to have the men cancel the celebration, my Queen?" Henry asked in a quiet voice. It would be the smart thing to do. Canceling the celebration would only make sense…

And it would be exactly what Hans would expect her to do. The nineteen-year-old would try to get her to put the castle on lockdown. That was all considering that he wanted her to know he was coming. "No, we're not canceling the feast. Double the guards at the party and we'll go and talk to the men. I only want those I trust to be at the walls working."

"And what are you planning on doing?" he asked.

"I'm putting a finish to all this. Once and for all."


	113. Chapter CXII

**Author's Note: Oh my goodness, a chapter got put up before 10 p.m. We should all be so impressed! Hopefully I'll have another up for you later. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter CXII**

"If you will just give it some thought, Queen Elsa. I don't think that holding the celebration is a good idea," Henry said, trying to be polite without pointing out that the queen had officially lost her mind. "If you'll excuse me for doubting you, Queen Elsa, I'd just like to point out that going through with the celebration would pen up everyone valuable in the same room at the same time. It wouldn't be overly difficult for Hans to make his move and hurt everyone in one swoop."

"You're underestimating Hans. He's fooled my sister into falling in love with him, turned men on both Arendelle and the Southern Isles against their leaders, plotted with a third party to take over the world, and given up his sister to make it all work. He isn't some villain in a play, Henry. He is a madman who has been blinded by his greed. Hans expects us to fight him and find a way around his plan. This time, I'm going to go along with it. Let him come to Arendelle. Let him try what he likes. He's either after me or my sister. Kristoff can protect Anna. I can take care of myself. I'm counting on you watch over Kayleigh."

"The deaf healer?" Elsa nodded, wrapping her arms Round herself as she paced. It was a protective position that she had assumed many times in her life. It was a comfort to her, but this time, it wasn't about fear or needing comfort. She had Alexander for that, now. Even while he was away, she had him. Eventually, Alexander would come back and they could share about their time apart. Then, he would wrap those thick arms around her and press his lips into her hair. He would promise her that everything would always be fine. He would tell her that he loved her and, in his excitement to have her back in his arms, would smother her response with his mouth as those tree trunk arms tightened around her and his fingers threaded themselves through her hair...

Elsa coughed to jerk herself back to the present, putting a dramatic hand to her chest and hoping that Henry would attribute her high color to the tickle that had materialized in her throat. "We'll have to make sure that the security and guards for the celebration are doubled," she told him. After sending Henry to find the captain of her guards, she paced and continued to mutter to herself. "Kayleigh needs someone trailing her, not that she'll be at all happy with that decision." The healer had decided that, since Elsa no longer had need of her, she would go and check on the rest of the villagers. Jonas would be extremely upset when he found out what it was the girl had done, but Elsa wasn't going to stop the woman. Kayleigh just wanted to help people.

"I'll just have to explain to her that she needs to have an escort," Elsa said sternly. The first person that came to mind was young Jacob. He wasn't the oldest or wisest of men, but he knew how to protect people. The problem was that he wanted to protect Zoe. And Elsa couldn't really blame him. It had been his job for almost a decade. There was no one else that Kayleigh trusted, though. Alexander had taken all of his brothers with him to go and get Christian. Liam and Lucas had traveled from Weselton to the Southern Isles, after news had come that Christian was missing and Ollie was alone in the kingdom. Well, not alone. He did have his new wife at his side, but Emily didn't know anything about running a kingdom. Oliver, while more than capable of running the kingdom, had never concerned himself with the daily runnings. His father had told them all when they were children to find their passions and run with it. Oliver had always loved the horses. He was the one who took care of the beasts and taught the men how to fight from horseback.

Regardless of Oliver and his background or Jonas' absence from Arendelle, Elsa wasn't going to let Kayleigh come to harm. She was just going to have to find the right person to act as the healer's guard. If she could trust Henry, she would set him to the task. "He's driving me bonkers. Maybe it's time that I give him to someone else." But she couldn't. In the week since Dallas, the wolf man Jacob had captured, had given her his warning, Henry had proven himself to be a model guard. He never said anything when she was muttering to herself and thinking a

Pus. He left her alone when she needed her privacy and always stood in a corner of the room when Elsa was with her sister, Zoe, or Kayleigh. The problem was this the still didn't trust him. There was no way to be sure that he wasn't just playing her, teasing her and making her think that he could be trusted. Hans could arrive any day. Much as she wanted to believe that Henry was sincere, she had too many lives in her hands to blindly give her trust to the man again.

"My queen, I found the captain, as you requested," Henry said, walking straight through the open portal. "Would you like for me to wait outside? You and your sister are supposed to go and have lunch this afternoon." She fought the urge to smile at him as she nodded, thanked him for the reminder, and waited for him to disappear.

"You're concerned about something," the guard said. He'd learned that Elsa rarely felt disrespected, which allowed him to speak his mind freely.

"I am," Elsa agreed. "I am worried about Prince Hans' impending arrival. I don't want someone to come to harm because of his presence here; especially since he's only here for me."

"I can trail you, Queen Elsa," but even as he was saying it, she was shaking her head.

"I have Henry. Unless he's planning on betraying me, he'll be a fine protector. No; I want you overseeing my sister and Princess Zoe. Kristoff and Jacob, respectively, can protect them as well, but I don't want someone to fall through the cracks. In addition, I want one of the men you trust to follow Kayleigh around the village. She's delivering babies and checking in on the elderly. Preferably someone who won't talk to her and will keep his distance. She doesn't trust men and I don't want her coming to harm because of that." She fiddled with her fingers as she spoke, but the captain was fairly certain that she didn't realize what she looked like, what she sounded like.

She sounded like a real queen. Everything about her was regal and elegant. Sure, she was polite and nothing about her tone irked him or bothered him. He knew that she would say please at the end of her little rant, but the captain didn't need to hear it. He would do anything that she asked of him. She was the queen after all. The kingdom had been without one for so long, he was fairly certain that everyone had forgotten what it was like to have one. The three years between the deceased rulers' demise and Elsa's coronation had been a kingdom that was merely existing. Even after Elsa seemed to embrace who she was and what it was that she'd become, the kingdom had lacked a ruler. She'd been a scared young woman on the cusp of greatness, a woman who was ready to be a ruler.

Now... Now she flourished. Now she commanded the people, respectfully and politely, in a way that told everyone that she was in charge. Now, she was the queen that her parent had always hoped that she would become. She'd told him about her plan, about her desire to travel between kingdoms. While he would admit that it was an unconventional approach, he had no doubt that Queen Elsa could manage it. "I'll see to your requests, my Queen," he said, fighting the tightness in his voice. He turned swiftly, nearly colliding with Cookie as she bustled down the hall.

"What has you all flustered?" she asked, seeing the strange look in his eyes. "Did the Queen decide that she's had enough of the warm weather again? Maybe she should just designate a room to freeze in. If she's itching to use them powers of her, we have some meat that could do with a thorough freezing."

The captain grabbed the plump older woman about her waist and swung her around, as if she was a princess in the fairytales they told the orphans in the village. "Good Lord, what has gotten into you? Is she letting your retire or something?"

"It's happened. We have a queen. For the first time in forever, Arendelle has a queen," he beamed brightly. "She's finally figured out who she wants to be."


	114. Here's the Deal

**Morning all!**

**Okay, so here's the deal. I officially got two jobs. For the next 7-10 days, I will ****_not_**** be updating. I am scheduled to work 60 hours in the next week and I want to make sure that I've got everything under control. Also, be aware that things might be changing with the story. It may even be deleted and reposted at a later time. **

**I'm really sorry to do this to your guys, but in order to keep writing and doing the things I enjoy, I have to do things like work 60 hours. I'll be back in about a week! Sorry, all!**

**XOXO,**

**M. Michelon**


	115. I Swear, I'm alive!

**I'm alive!**

**Hey guys,**

**I know a lot of you are frustrated with me because it's been WAY more than 10 days. I will be posting a chapter late tonight. For the next week, it will only be one chapter a day and probably at night. Okay? Okay!**


End file.
